Slayer's Honor
by Frass
Summary: Buffy and Faith have to go undercover to infiltrate a mob ring using vampires as undead hitmen. Set in present day New York City. Written for the Undercover Lovers Challenge on Oralfxatn's Yahoo group.
1. Buffy Makes Faith An Offer

Author's notes: To Gina, for being such a wonderful list host and providing us with great challenges. Thanks for getting the juices flowing! (Creative juices, ya sicko! ;)

* * *

Chapter 1- Buffy Makes Faith An Offer She Tries To Refuse

"Johnny, hey, I got a reply from Faith." The young man reading at the computer said.

"She say anything about contacting that dude?" Johnny asked as he set up his next shot at the pool table. The fair-haired man he was playing against made way for him to get a better angle.

"Yeah, she said she can make it happen."

"Cool, tell her thanks." Johnny proceeded to sink the three ball and then stood up to apply more chalk to the end of his cue. As he bent down and lined up his next shot he continued, "You and her work out the details, Joey." He took the shot, the four ball hit into the nine which promptly sank into the side pocket. The other player, Tommy, groaned immediately. Johnny smiled and straightened up, throwing Tommy his cue, "You shouldn't bet heavy against me, loser. Oh, and Joey tell Faith my dad wants to meet her." He walked over and pulled on his jacket.

Joey's eyes went wide, "Really?"

"Yeah," Johnny shrugged his shoulders to get his jacket to fit just right on his shoulders. He was a very handsome young man and liked his clothes to help make him look good. "He said she can bring her girlfriend too." He fixed a scarf around his neck and tucked it into the front of the jacket, then gave his friends a winning smile. "My dad's a progressive man."

"He's awesome!" Tommy said a little too enthusiastically.

Johnny's smile faded as he looked at him, Joey sat there anticipating a blow up.

"You owe me two hundred large, but since we're getting close to the holidays, I'll let it slide 'til next week."

"Hey, thanks man." Tommy said and extended his hand.

Johnny looked at it and instead of accepting it, he patted Tommy's face, "Lay off the gambling, it's making you poor." He stepped back, pointed at Tommy, then pulled his lapels tighter on his jacket and zipped up the supple leather.

"Okay, boys, I gotta go. Maxine wants me to take her to see the tree bein' lit. Don't forget to tell Faith about the meetin', Joey," He said as he pulled open the door that would lead out into the club.

"I won't," Joey said.

As Johnny closed the door, Tommy rubbed his cheek and spit on the ground, "Fuck him."

"Ay! What the fuck?"

"What?"

"You gotta spit on the floor?"

"I'm sorry, that fuckin' pretty boy gives me a bad taste in my mouth."

"'That fuckin' pretty boy' is the boss' son, and his heir apparent. He's also our ticket to the top."

"Well he's a fuckin' idiot. Two hundred large means two hundred thousand, I owe him two hundred bucks. So fuckin' dumb. And another thing, how is pushing off paying him until next week, which is _closer_ to Christmas, gonna help?"

"How many times do I tell you not to play nine ball with him?"

"I want to beat him just once," Tommy smiled big then his mouth went into hard line. "Just to see that fuckin' stupid smirk wiped away."

"He's right though, it's just makin' you poor."

"What's with this 'Faith' shit anyway?" Tommy nodded towards the computer, conveniently changing the subject.

"Oh yeah, shit, I gotta tell her about meetin' Big John."

"How the fuck does this _cooze_ get a meetin' and we've been bustin' our humps for a year and get ugots?" He cupped his balls for emphasis.

"Stop bein' such a fuckin' meat head. We've met with Big John dozens of times."

"Yeah, to deliver the cannolis or the sandwiches, or the booze or whatever the fuck else he has us bring him when he's meetin' with other people."

"Hey, Tommy, stop talkin' stupid. You know if you keep your mouth shut and just do what he tells us we're gonna move up, right?"

"Easy for you to say you fuckin', Full Guinea. My mom's Irish, I can't move up. Best I could do is to be your 'associate'."

"And when I make it to the top you're gonna be my right hand guy," Joey pointed to his right hand. "Huh? So stop bein' such a dumbass."

Tommy sighed, but resigned himself to do what Joey suggested, "Alright, fuck it. Right?"

"Right."

"So who is this broad anyway? The second coming of Christina Aguilera?" He held his hands in front of his chest as if he was squeezing large supple breasts.

Joey laughed at his friend's joke, then gave a mischievous grin, "She's someone else who's gonna be our ticket to the top."

"Oh yeah? What does she do? Own a whore house or somethin'?"

"No, but I'll tell you about what she does another time. Right now I gotta answer her email, and you gotta go do that thing Johnny asked you to do."

"Oh fuck, I almost forgot." Tommy rushed to put on his jacket and knitted cap. "It's as cold a witch's tit out there."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"Fuck if I know, it's somethin' my grandpa would say on night's like this, 'He'd say, Tommy, you bettah put on ya scaaaaaf, it's cold as a witch's tit out they-ah.' Fucker was from Boston, had that dumb accent." Tommy said in heavily accented Brooklynese. "Liked the stupid fuckin' Red Sox. Can you believe that shit? My flesh and blood, Sox fans."

Joey typed the expression into Google as Tommy said goodbye and went out the back door into the alley.

"Dumbass got it wrong, it's 'colder than a witch's tit'. I hope he doesn't up fuck tonight. He'll be deader than yesterday's hit." Joey mumbled to himself.

* * *

"Willow, I don't think there's any other way. You've created this whole world and background for these people and now it's time they meet and get the ball rolling," Buffy waited a beat before adding. "People are dying, Will, most of them civilian." Buffy looked at her friend, who was obviously deep in thought.

"Buff, can't we just try to stall…"

"It's too late for that Will, we have to think about who's going to do what."

"I could be her, I mean, you know. I could darken my hair…ooh, ooh, and I could get leather pants," Her face brightened. "You could be my girlfriend!"

"Wait, what? What's going on here, Will?" Kennedy suddenly started paying attention to the conversation going on behind her.

"Oh, it's nothing honey. Buffy and I are just talking girl stuff."

Kennedy narrowed her eyes and shrugged, "I'm a girl, I'd like to hear it."

Regarding the obviously scared face of Willow, she jumped to her friend's aid, "She's talking about going undercover, Ken."

"Undercover, sure. I'm your girl. When are we planning on going in?" She threw the magazine she had been reading onto the coffee table and turned fully towards Buffy and Willow who were sitting at the table behind the couch.

"We're not sure exactly."

"Willow, give me the details."

"W-well, you remember that thing I told you about?"

"What thing?"

"You know, the thing."

Kennedy closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, "Why do I feel like I'm in Analyze That?"

"Exactly! You remember when I told you about how the men with no necks are getting the people with no pulse to kill people?"

Kennedy opened her eyes, and tried to focus on what her girlfriend was saying, "Willow, have you taken large amounts of drugs recently?"

"Ken, I'm serious. I can't talk 'cause we might be being taped."

"By who?"

"The feds?"

Kennedy narrowed her eyes in confusion even further, and turned to Buffy, "Buffy, can you tell me why my girl has gone crazy?"

"She's being serious, Ken. Look, there are Mafioso's…Mafiosi?" She shook her head. "Mafia guys hiring Vamps to carry out their hits."

"Yeah, she told me."

"See?"

"Don't start on that again, Will."

"Can we focus here?" Buffy asked.

"Sorry, go ahead."

"Innocent people are being killed, and even if they're not innocent, we can't have the vamps getting in with that kind of power, they'd become more organized, unstoppable."

"I thought there was no such thing as the Mafia?"

"You've been watching too many movies and TV shows."

"So where does Willow in leather pants come in?" Kennedy asked with a crooked smile on her lips.

"Well, baby…I kinda…"

"You kinda what?"

"I kinda made up a fictional character with connections to the vamps so I could find out who was ordering these hits and hopefully be able to bring them down from the inside and—"

"Woah, babe, breathe…"

Willow took a breath, "And it got kinda out of control because now these guys want to meet this woman…and her girlfriend."

"Wait? 'And her girlfriend'?"

Willow nodded.

"Why does she have a girlfriend?"

"Well, this guy kept hitting on me, I mean her, and I couldn't think of anything else at the time."

"These just keeps getting worse." Kennedy ran her fingers through her hair. "So, Buffy's gonna be this girl?"

"Well, we were kinda thinking someone more ethnic looking, she's supposed to be Italian."

"Why is she supposed to be Italian?"

"Because her father was a big mafia guy in Italy."

Kennedy sat back on the couch and let her head drop onto it. She let out a big sigh.

Buffy shrugged at Willow who looked puzzled.

"How did this get so involved and complicated?"

"I had to earn his trust, he's a kind of a nice guy. Well, not kind of nice, he's actually pretty sweet."

"So what, you're pen pals with mob guys now?"

"Not _guys_, just guy."

"Where is this _guy_ from?"

"Brooklyn."

"Okay, I'll do it."

"You…you will?" Willow seemed to brighten up and have trepidations all at once.

"Yeah, why not? I'm from New York, I'm brunette…have brown eyes, I think I fit the bill."

"You'd also have to have Buffy as your girlfriend."

Kennedy sized up Buffy wolfishly.

Buffy looked affronted and Willow became more sullen.

"Will," Buffy said after staring Kennedy down into looking away. "I've got an idea."

"What?" Willow became excited again.

Buffy bit her cheek in thought, "On second thought maybe I don't. I'll be back."

Willow and Kennedy were surprised at the speed with which Buffy left the room.

"Wow, she's in a hurry."

"Will, if you're not going to be the girl, can you still buy the leather pants?"

"Oh you like that, huh?" Willow said to Kennedy with a hint of mirth lighting up her face.

"I like a lot."

"I've worn them before you know…"

"When?"

"When I had to be Vampy me."

"Vamp Willow?"

"Oh yeah," Willow sashayed closer to her girlfriend.

Kennedy pulled her arm and brought her impossibly close to her.

"Tell me more about how you French kissed your Vamp self…" Kennedy whispered in her ear.

Willow's eyes went wide.

"No, but I _will_ tell you who I was thinking about when I wrote those emails."

"Oh? Do tell you wicked witch."

* * *

"Giles, I know it's the middle of the night there, but we have a situation."

"Has a portal to hell opened?"

"No…well, sorta, if by hell you mean Brooklyn…"

"I hear Brooklyn is very nice these days actually…"

"Giles, I'm sure the gentrification of Brooklyn is a very interesting story, but can you please focus? God, why am I the focusy one all of a sudden?"

"I'm sorry, Buffy. What is it and what can I do to help?"

"Well, it's Faith I'm calling to get in touch with, is she there?"

"Not at the moment, no. Unless she's managed to sneak back in her room without me knowing."

"She went slaying?"

"Most likely, then went to one of those God awful clubs for some God awful music and the dancing she's so fond of."

"Sounds like fun," Buffy lamented.

Their conversation was interrupted by someone picking up the other extension.

"Hello?"

"Oh, hey G. Sorry, I can't seem to find my cell, must've dropped it, was gonna call the club to see if I left it there."

"Actually, Faith. There's someone on the phone for _you_, there's a situation in New York."

"Oh cool, I love the big Apple, just not their stupid sports teams…"

"Faith it's me," Buffy interrupted before the conversation went off the rails even further.

"B?"

"Yeah, I need a favor."

It took Faith a beat or two to get her vocal chords to unstick from her neck and work without squeaking, but she managed it.

"Whaddya need?"

"There's a situation in New York."

"So I've heard."

"Yeah, well, I need you to help with it."

"What's the sitch?"

"Go find your cell phone first and then call me back on it, or if not, go to an outside line."

"Sounds heavy."

"The heaviest."

"Alright, as soon as I find it I'll call you back."

"Okay."

Faith was just about to hang up but said, "Hey, Buffy."

"Yeah?"

"Same number?"

"Same number."

"'Kay, talk to you in a few."

"Bye."

* * *

"No fuckin' way, B. I can't do that!"

"Faith, this whole thing got out of hand and we need to fix it. Quickly."

"So why the fuck are you askin' me? I thought you had all your little Scoobies there and you didn't need anyone else?"

"I'm sorry I said that, Faith. I realize that we haven't exactly gotten along, but please. I know you can do this, and do it right. I need someone strong."

Faith faltered in her protestations, she was currently cursing her heart for betraying her head and soaring at Buffy's vote of confidence on her strength.

"But, B…it's…you _know_ what we'd have to do."

"Faith, I know, and believe me, I'm not loving the idea, but for the rest of what needs to get done, I think you'd be perfect."

"'Cause I'm from the streets?"

"Because you know a lot of lines from the Godfather."

Faith laughed in spite of herself, "B…" She let out a slight groan.

"F…"

"Can I have a day to think about it?"

"I'd rather not have more people die, but if you need a day to think it through you go right ahead."

"Thanks."

"Please make sure you let us know by eight p.m. your time, after that I have to go in with someone else."

"Who?"

"Kennedy most likely."

Faith's heart seized and her stomach clenched.

"Willow's okay with that?"

"She has to be, she was thinking of dying her hair brown and wearing leather pants."

"Oh fuck that!" Faith laughed heartily.

"I'm glad you find it funny, just let us know as soon as you can."

"I don't need to think about it, I'm in."

"Good, I'll see you soon."

"Will gonna teleport me?"

"Yes, we'll give you thirty. Brace yourself."

"Fuck, that quick, huh?"

"Brought someone home for the night?"

Faith smoothed her tongue on the inside of her bottom lip trying to get the bitter taste out of her mouth that the flippant comment on her love life made.

"No, I was just thinkin' I shouldn't have had all those fish and chips. But whatever, you're the one who's gonna be reapin' the rewards of that."

"Gross…"

"See ya soon, _lover_."

Buffy stood stunned for a moment at that last word.

"This is gonna be an interesting mission," She said as she finally came back from wherever she was and put the phone in her pocket.

* * *

"Willow, I don't understand why you guys needed to call her."

"_I_ wanted her for this," Buffy said, in a way that showed she wasn't to be questioned.

"Oh…Ohhhh….I get it," Kennedy said like she was in on a secret.

"You get nothing."

"No," Kennedy put her hand on Buffy's upper arm and leaned in conspiratorially. "Don't worry, Buffy, I _absolutely_ get it."

"Kennedy," Buffy shrugged her hand away. "I'm telling you, you get nothing."

"Then what's the reason?" Kennedy said with mischief dripping in her voice.

"Faith's a Slayer…I mean…" Buffy was sorry she said that, she realized she often just thought of Kennedy as 'Willow's girlfriend' and she meant that Faith was a Slayer who wasn't afraid of going to extremes to get a job done. Which exactly was what this job needed.

"It makes sense," Willow said, not really paying attention to Buffy's slight of Kennedy's position.

"What does?" Buffy said, grateful for the distraction.

"She's street tough, beautiful, brunette, bad-ass, wears leather like she was born in it…maybe I had her in mind when I was constructing this person…"

Buffy's eyes narrowed in confusion.

Willow continued with a shrug, "Either that or had just watched D.E.B.S. for the thousandth time."

"Isn't anyone gonna comment on Buffy's slap to my face?" Kennedy interrupted.

"Buffy hit you?" Willow asked.

"No, she implied I'm not a Slayer."

"Maybe she meant an original chosen, don't worry, Ken. You're my Slayer, _pookums_."

Kennedy rolled her eyes, "Yeah, whatever. I'm going slaying."

"Oooh, nice," Willow said. "I'll get the room ready for when you get home…and I really shouldn't have said that in front of company, should I?"

Kennedy had to laugh at the cute way Willow was blushing, she was lucky she loved her, otherwise she'd really be mad. As for her blonde friend though, she was gonna get it, as soon as she came back from letting off some steam.

* * *

"I thought she'd be used to it by now…"

Buffy and Willow cringed from the doorway as Faith emptied the contents of her stomach very noisily into the toilet. In fact, she had just made it in time by running with super slayer speed.

Buffy shrugged and walked to where Faith was crouched over the bowl, she took her hair in her hands leaving Faith to freely grip the sides and tried not to breathe in as she was standing there.

"Oh, God, B. Maybe you guys should have waited to teleport me. I forgot about all the shit I drank."

"Well, this is probably best," Buffy lied as Faith spewed another volley into the white porcelain bowl.

"Nice try, B," Faith said as she sat back on her haunches. "Damn, I thought I was over that shit."

"It definitely sneaks up on you."

Faith flushed the toilet and Buffy was about to let her hair go when Faith fell forward quickly and heaved one more time.

When she was done she said, "Oh, Jesus Christ! That shit is awful."

"Do you think you're done?"

"I sure as hell hope I am," She didn't sit up again for a few moments. "Okay, B. I think that's it."

Buffy kept hold of Faith's hair after Willow handed her a damp washcloth and she had finished wiping her face with it.

"Funny thing is," Faith laughed. "I don't think I packed a toothbrush."

"I'm pretty sure we have a spare," Buffy looked at Willow.

"Several," Willow assured her.

"Mind if I take a shower before we get down to the nitty gritty?"

Willow raised an eyebrow at Buffy.

"I meant Buffy didn't really give me many details on the phone." Faith quickly clarified her point so as not to embarrass Buffy. It was if she was going out of her way not to piss her off with innuendo and showmanship.

"Oh, right, well you enjoy your shower," Willow said, impressed with the new attitude she saw in Faith. "Come down to the war room when you're done."

"War Room?" It was Faith's turn to raise her eyebrow at Buffy.

"First door on the left," Buffy said with pride. "There are towels in the cupboard there, do you need some clothes to change into?"

"Nah, I just need my bag brought up." She jumped slightly as her bag was teleported next to her. "Damn, I keep forgettin' she can do that."

"It's quite impressive, comes in handy during our magic shows," Buffy said wryly.

"I can see it now…Big Red and her lovely assistant Buffy," Faith matched her grin.

"Why wouldn't I be her assistant?" Kennedy said from the doorway.

"Hey, Ken, how's it hangin'?" Faith asked.

"Low and heavy, as always," She said without missing a beat and put her hand out for a shake. Faith laughed as she accepted it and playfully slapped Kennedy's upper arm.

"Need to work out a little more there, Stringy," Faith said.

"I'm always trying but Willow can't keep up."

"Oh God…here we go…" Buffy said and pushed Willow and Kennedy out into the hallway.

"I can't _what_?"

"She's kidding, Will. Faith have a nice shower, we'll meet you downstairs."

"'Kay," She said as she turned on the water and laughed to herself.

* * *

"B? Will?"

"Over here, Faith!"

"Damn that shower was off the fucking hook and—what the fuck is that?" She marveled at the bank of screens dotting the wall. They weren't so much as TV screens but windows to different parts of the world.

"That's another of Willow's inventions; we don't even need electricity to run 'em. Isn't she something?" Kennedy patted Willow's hand.

"She sure is…"

Buffy was sure Faith looked at her, but when she turned to meet her eyes, Faith was beaming at one of the screens on the wall.

"Hey, that's G…," Her face suddenly became stricken.

"Faith, what is it?"

"No, it's not so much as what is it, but 'who'."

"Who?"

They all looked at the screen as a female's head popped up from under the covers and settled beside Giles.

"WILLOW!" Buffy and Kennedy collectively shouted.

"I'M SORRY!" Willow shouted back.

"I thought we said no bedrooms?"

"I didn't know! I thought…"

"Get it off the screen!"

Willow panicked, clicked her fingers and all of the screens went black.

"You spy on people?"

"No, not spy…we make sure they're okay," Buffy said, slightly defensive, but knowing it looked bad.

"The view is supposed to be under that room and outside, which would be looking at the front door."

"Now I gotta worry that you've seen me in my room."

"No! No, not ever," Willow said quickly. Faith narrowed her eyes at her.

"Okay, fine. Whadda we got? What's was so important here?" Faith shuddered as the image of Giles' girlfriend and what she had been doing popped in her head.

"Well, we…we've got something that we needed your help with…"

"Yeah, B told me, she and I have to act like girlfriends. Why?"

"Because, I infiltrated a mafia gang who are using vamps to carry out their hits."

"Yeah, I heard that already. Little Willow Rosenberg, takin' on the mob," Faith shook her head. "My question is why are we goin' in there as girlfriends?"

"Well…I kinda…" Willow looked embarrassed to say.

Faith looked at Kennedy, "Can you give us a minute?"

"I already know the story, so it's not gonna help her case any. The Chosen Two are who she's trying to protect."

Faith shrugged, "So spill, Will…"

Faith sat down on the end of the arm chair Buffy was currently occupying. Buffy was about to say something when Faith looked at her and said, "I figure if we gotta get couple-y might as well start by not flinching when we're near each other, right?"

Buffy nodded, "Right."

"Okay, so?" Faith looked back at Willow.

"Well, so okay, what happened…or how it happened was, I heard of this ring of vampires being used…"

"Who told you?"

"One of our Slayers, her brother is a small time hood that tries to get in with the big boys of the mob by dealing for them," Kennedy explained.

"She trustworthy?"

Kennedy nodded, "One of my crew."

"Would you trust her with your life?"

"You better believe it, they don't get in my crew unless I can trust 'em."

"Good," Faith looked satisfied. "Okay, Will, you were sayin'."

"Yeah, so…this guy I got to know through the internet…"

"Wait, you infiltrated through the internet?"

"Yes, at first on a message board…"

"How the fuck did that happen? Did you google 'Vamps wanted for hits' and up popped a wise guy message board?"

"You'd be surprised how much stuff you find through Craigslist these days," Buffy joked.

"Har, Har." Willow mocked. "No, Faith, I used magic to hack into one of their secured sites."

"Oh," Faith motioned for her to continue.

"So, then I struck up a conversation with this guy Joseph, and told him I was the daughter of Salvatore Alfieri, hiding out in America so I wouldn't be killed."

Faith's eyes went wide.

"Someone you know?" Kennedy asked.

"I watched the history of the mob on the History Channel a few days ago…that dude was…" Faith pointed her finger as she thought of his story. "…killed in jail, and the mob got to the rest of his male family members for him being a rat."

"That's the one," Willow said. "I saw that episode too."

"Way to pick 'em, Will."

"Well, don't worry, I made this chick into a believable person. She's hiding here so they won't find her."

"Yeah, 'hiding out' in New York," Faith made quote marks with her fingers. "The Tri-State area is the Mafia capital of the U.S. Will."

"I was under pressure, plus it seemed to work, I told him that I hated my father for what he had done, and he seemed to be sympathetic to that."

"So then what happened?"

"Well, we became really close, and then he started hitting on me. I felt bad so I told him I had a girlfriend to…to let him down gently."

"Yeah, I'll bet it felt like falling into a bowl of feathers," Faith scoffed.

"Faith, let her finish," Buffy put her hand on the small of Faith's back and Faith flinched noticeably. "I see what you mean."

"Nah, Buff, your hands are hella cold," Faith lied, for a small dainty looking girl Buffy's hands were deceptively strong and warm.

Buffy laughed, knowing that Faith was lying.

"Keep going, Will," Kennedy said, wanting to get the good part.

"Okay, so I've gotten a lot of information just talking to him about his day and how his family's doing, he really seems like a nice guy."

"Yeah, a nice guy who'd snap your neck if he knew what you were planning on doing."

Willow put her hands to her neck, "I know…" She said trailing off.

"And what's with the 'me and Buffy shacking up together' bit?"

"I told you, I had to tell him I had a girlfriend."

"I get that, but why does it have to be Buffy? Why can't it be me and Ken?"

"Why can't it be me?" Buffy said, suddenly hurt at the implication that she wasn't going to be good for the mission.

Kennedy smirked, "I think that's an awesome idea."

"It's just an idea, Junior, I'm tryin' to get answers here," Faith said, an edge evident in her voice.

Kennedy's balloon was visibly deflated and Buffy couldn't have been happier if she had blown a dart through a pipe to burst it herself.

"Go ahead, Will. Tell her," Buffy said, reassuringly.

"Well, the one woman, who you'll be, is a brunette, and the other one…"

"Is blonde…" Faith surmised.

"And dumb…" Kennedy said with bitterness in her voice.

"Hey, quit the childish bullshit, Ken," Faith snapped.

"Sorry," Kennedy seemed to be genuinely contrite.

"Damn, it's almost like you're five and gonna stick out your tongue next."

Kennedy and Willow shared a look with each other.

"Okay, horny Harriets, keep it in your pants until we're done here," Faith said. "So, I'm the brains and Buffy's a dumb blonde?"

Willow nodded, and gave Buffy an apologetic look.

"And what're our names?" She indicated to herself and Buffy.

"Buffy and Faith," Willow said.

Faith sighed, and then flinched as Buffy again put her hand on the small of her back in an effort to soothe her.

"Did I hit my head being teleported here?"

"No, but those are the names I gave Joseph."

"Oh…" Faith went quiet and looked quizzically at Willow.

"What?"

"Nothin', I just find it weird is all."

"Well, I…" Willow started then stopped.

"Well what?"

"No, I can't say."

"Go ahead, honey, tell them." Kennedy kissed the side of Willow's head.

"Ken, sweetie, can you give us a few minutes?"

"Why? I've heard this story already."

"I'd like to talk to the girls alone, okay?"

Kennedy was not pleased as she got up, but she obeyed her girlfriend. She didn't, however, give Buffy the satisfaction of looking her in the eye as she left the room.

After Willow gave Kennedy a peck on the cheek at the door and closed it behind her, she did a quick silencing spell.

"Slayer hearing," She explained.

"Alright, Will, shoot," Faith crossed her arms in front of her chest and waited. "I'm not gonna say anything no matter what the explanation is."

Willow looked at Buffy, "Buff, we've been friends for a very long time…"

"The longest," Buffy agreed.

"And what I'm going to say should in no way come between us as friends, right?"

"Right," Buffy kept the same amount of assurance and cheer to her voice.

"I kinda find…" She stopped again, finding it hard to say the right thing.

"Will, don't worry, we won't judge," Faith said. "I might snap your neck myself if you don't get on with it…" Buffy tapped Faith on the arm. "Sorry."

"I kinda find your dynamic sexy," Willow said in a rush.

Buffy sat up a little and Faith wanted to burst out with laughter.

"Go ahead, Faith. Laugh. I know you want to."

"No, Will…it's just…sexy? Really? The way we fight? We've never gotten along. Trying to kill each other."

"Hey, we've gotten along," Buffy said defensively.

"When?"

Buffy started to say something several times and then stopped.

"See?"

A thought came to her, "That time we went together dancing at the Bronze…"

"The night I killed Allan…"

"Well…there was that…but we connected…"

"B, stop, admit it. We've been like oil and water."

"Whatever we were in the past Faith, we have to get over it, we can't let the Vamps team up with the mob, they'd be unstoppable."

Faith nodded and looked Buffy right in the face, "You sure you're okay with this? 'Cause once we're in we gotta go the whole hog."

"I'm up for a little bacon," Buffy said with a wry grin.

"Oh you're gonna get bacon, B. And pork chops, ham hocks, pig's feet…"

"Okay, I get it. We go big."

"Not to mention, the _tail_…I love me some tail."

"Faith, alright!"

Willow sat grinning at the Slayers from the couch opposite them.

"I'm just givin' you a little taste of what you'll be gettin', _baby_." Faith smiled and winked at Willow.

"Okay, good," Buffy got up. "I think we need to see these emails between you and Joseph, Will."

"Yeah, that would be smart."

"That's my baby, Will, she's not as dumb as they say, right?" Faith kept her little act going.

"Faith, I _will_ break your fingers."

"Oooh, kinky," Faith stretched her arms above her head and let the sap drip from her smoky, sultry voice. "I like that in a girl…"

Buffy snapped and pulled Faith up from where she was seated.

Faith couldn't believe the strength with which she was picked up, she had forgotten just how strong Buffy was and how fast. She braced herself for a face beating, trying to get her hands up between them so she could protect it somewhat.

Buffy grasped Faith's wrists into both of her hands and pulled her closer into her body, molding herself around the stunned Slayer. In the next moment, Faith's brain exploded with softness and sugary sweetness as Buffy's mouth and tongue dominated hers.

A gasp could be heard from Willow, and Faith could have sworn her heart was pounding through her chest. She tried to pull back from the embrace, she didn't want Buffy to feel the beat of her traitorous heart, but Buffy held her hostage and kept kissing her, until she finally stopped fighting it and relaxed into the kiss.

Faith suddenly gave as good as she got, wrestling Buffy's tongue for dominance and finally became victorious, sucking it into her mouth. They got lost in each other as their arms tried to hug each other impossibly closer.

Faith thought she had died and gone to heaven for a minute, but then she suddenly jumped back two feet as she felt a hand cup her pussy.

Willow shot up from the couch as she realized what just happened and said a little stunned, "I should get those emails for you now."

"You do that, Will." Buffy said, clearly un-rattled by what just transpired between her and Faith.

"Uhhhh…" Faith said.

Willow turned back to the Slayers before leaving the room.

"She's not so witty now, is she, Will?"

Willow didn't say anything as she left quickly.

Faith sat stunned on the chair Buffy had occupied.

"You got a little drool on your face there, F."

Faith finally snapped out of her temporary stupor.

"Yeah, well I think you got a little pussy juice on your finger there, B."

Buffy brought her fingers up to her nose and gave them a sniff, her nose wrinkled slightly.

"Nah, I don't think I broke through your panties, which I'm surprised to see you actually wear."

Faith raised her eyebrow, her smirk firmly back on her lips, "I see someone uncorked that bottle finally. That the Japanese girl everyone was talkin' about?"

"Maybe…"

"Damn, well, I see _you're_ gonna get a thrill out of this mission."

Buffy's face suddenly became serious, "Don't ever forget we _are_ on a mission Faith."

Faith nodded, letting the reality of that statement sink in, "I got it, B. We get in, fuck vampires up and get out, no problem. I'm not gonna be the one to fuck this up."

"I didn't think so. That's why I asked you to do this with me."

Faith's heart pounded harder from Buffy's words then the kiss had made it pound.

"C'mon, B. We've got some emails to sort through," Faith held her hand out to Buffy, and surprisingly she took it with a smile.

"That we do, Faith…" They started almost skipping out of the room. "Hey Faith? Was Giles' girlfriend doing what I think she was?"

Faith's smile faded and a shudder went through her as she opened the door, "Don't fuckin' make me beat you with my brain."

"That was…"

"I'd rather throw my guts out for a year solid than think of what she was…"

"Oh God, now I think _I'm_ gonna be sick."

"Willow!" They yelled in unison.


	2. Once Upon A Time In New York City

Author's notes: Again, for Gina. Song credits: Like a G6- FM; As the Rush Comes- Motorcycle (Gabriel and Dresden Sweeping Strings remix)

* * *

Chapter 2- Once Upon A Time In New York City

Buffy and Faith sat down at the conference table in the room that was adjacent to the one they had just been in.

They occasionally glanced at each other, but tried not to let their looks linger too long.

Faith marveled at the intensity with which Buffy had put into their earlier kiss, and Buffy couldn't believe she actually had taken charge like that. But she didn't deny that it needed to be done.

Faith looked at her folded hands, "What're we waitin' for?"

"Willow's bringing in the emails we need to read."

"She's printin' 'em out? Isn't that bad for the environment or somethin'?"

"Here they are," Willow burst through the door in a flourish. "Sorry it took so long," She lamented.

"What's this?" Faith asked as she was handed a tablet with a screen.

Willow pressed the button at the bottom and the device came to life.

"Damn, is this one of those iPads?"

"With a twist," Willow said proudly.

"I'll bet," Faith said as she turned the iPad carefully to look at the back. "I didn't know they came in red."

"They don't…and it's a wPad."

"A wPad?" Faith mumbled. "The fuck?"

Willow handed the other tablet to Buffy and then tapped the table they were sitting at. A translucent light rose from the middle of the burnished mahogany and words suddenly appeared and floated in the center of it.

"Here's the timeline of our conversations, you both have the same exact emails loaded into the pads, starting in chronological order."

Faith looked up at Buffy and was surprised when she was met with a mischievous smirk to match the one she knew was on her own face.

"Guys…what are you planning?" Her eyes went wide when a thought popped into her head. "Hey! No cutting class, this time! This is important, okay?" She didn't wait for an answer. "Now, the timeline will outline certain events happening in the world, but also maps out things that Joseph told me about his life, and what I told him about mine…yours…you know…other you guys."

"Okay, cool," Faith looked at the timeline in front of her on the table. "Will, that's a pretty long timeline. How long were you two talking?"

"About a year and a half…"

Faith immediately looked at Buffy.

"Hey, don't look at me, I found out an hour before you did."

Faith put her tablet down and threaded her hands through her hair, "Jesus Christ…"

"I thought I could take it down without ever having to get anyone else involved."

"How?" Faith asked.

"By using a vampire I had trusted to help me."

"What happened?"

"Dusted last week."

"One of our patrols?"

Willow nodded and Faith brought her hand up to the area between her eyebrows, a definite pain was forming there.

"What, Faith?" Buffy asked.

Faith shook her head for a moment and started to laugh, then became serious.

"I don't know…I don't know…I don't know…" She shrugged each time she said the words. "I just…"

"Don't know," Buffy finished for her with a mischievous smirk on her face.

"Right, _smart ass_."

"Oooh, is that what you tell me to get me all hot and bothered?" The silky smoothness to her voice made Faith's stomach flutter.

She didn't let it affect her voice, "Yeah, I tell you you're a neuroscientist, it gets you wet."

Willow's eyes bugged out and she held up her hands, "Okay, just stop!"

"But Will…"

"No, no! Inside voices and hands in nice places when I'm present," She said, not looking at the Slayers but getting her point across with her fingers in their faces.

"Take it down a notch, Red. We're just banterin'. If we're gonna be believable we have to have chemistry between each other, no?"

"Oh that was good, Faith," Buffy said. "You sounded just like the guy from the Sopranos…except with a lady voice."

Faith smiled at Buffy, "Yeah?"

"Oh, yeah…" Buffy dragged that out and then realized Willow was looking curiously at them.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No, Red, what?"

"It's nothing…"

"You want I should make some cement shoes for ya? Spill!"

"I don't know, it just seems like you guys've been friends…there's a…bond."

Buffy raised her eyebrows and looked sideways at Faith who shrugged at Willow.

"Maybe it's a Slayer thing?"

"Could be…"

"Well, whatever it is, it'll sure as fuck come in handy when we gotta get closer in a month."

"You mean in two weeks…"

"What? B? I thought you said a month?"

"Oopsy?" Buffy looked contrite.

Faith's head lolled back on her shoulders and she groaned, "Oh fuckin' hell..."

"Faith, there are only two thousand two hundred and thirty emails to go through," Willow pointed out.

Buffy's eyes went wide looking at the tablet.

Faith brought her head up and just shook it.

"I…fuck it…I can't do this right now," Faith put the tablet on the table and pushed her chair back from it.

"Faith, stay," Buffy said, in a commanding voice.

Faith looked at her with a blank look, "You want me to roll over and play dead?"

Buffy didn't touch that question, she explained, "We'll go over the first ten, get some sort of a feel for these people, then take a break. But it needs to get done."

"Just never been one for readin' is all. I start to go cross-eyed after the first paragraph and fall asleep."

Willow took something out of her pocket, "These might help…"

"That speed?" Faith asked.

"Something like it that I whipped up."

"Can you get addicted?" Buffy asked, remembering the time when Willow was addicted to the magic she was getting from Rack.

Willow shook her head, "Stuff like this has come a long way. No addiction, no hang over…you just sorta feel buzzed and alert."

Buffy looked at Faith who shrugged.

"You better be right about this, Red. I don't wanna end up in rehab."

"_They tried to make me go to rehab, I said…no, no, no,"_ Buffy sang.

Willow and Faith looked at her amused.

"Really, B?" Faith asked, her eyebrow raised.

"Sorry," She said, looking sheepish. "Do we take these with water?"

"You can if you're thirsty," Willow said. "But they'll go down perfectly fine without it. Nothing I make needs anything else to work."

"Except, a story about two undercover Slayers who're pretendin' to be lovers that're infiltratin' the mob, _apparently_," Faith mumbled.

Buffy let out a short laugh.

Willow sighed, "I know, okay? I—"

"Red, I'm just bustin' your cugliones!"

"Cugliones?"

"Balls," Faith said and postured like a mobster would. "I gotta act the part, huh?"

"Faith, you're not going in there as Vinnie the Nose…"

Faith thumbed her nose to the side at Buffy.

"It'd be a great look though, no?"

"Ehhh, yeah sure…" Buffy's eyes widened for a moment and she looked back at the tablet.

"Cugliones aside," Willow said. "Do you want these pills or not?"

"Oooh," Buffy looked at them. "They look like M&M's."

Faith narrowed her eyes at Buffy, "B, is this the dumb blonde routine you're tryin' on for size?"

Buffy lied, "Yes…" She then shifted her eyes to the tablet again.

Faith smirked and took a pill from Willow.

"Buff, you're next."

Buffy reached for a pink one.

Faith looked at hers and noticed it did look a lot like an M&M except it was a W&W, "Cool," She said as she flipped it over, scrutinizing it. "This thing's not gonna give me a dick is it?"

Buffy, who had put hers into her mouth, choked and spit it back into her hand.

"You wish, Faith," Willow scoffed.

"_I_ don't but I bet B does…" She mumbled and popped the pill into her mouth. It tasted like the best chocolate, peanut butter pie that she'd tasted in her life.

Buffy put hers back into her mouth and marveled, "This tastes just like Strawberry upside-down cake!"

"You mean pineapple upside down cake, B…"

"I like mine with strawberries, F."

"Have it with oysters for all I fuckin'…HOLY SHIT!" Faith put her arms out in front of her and turned her palms up.

Buffy followed suit, "You feel it too?"

"Feel it? I can fuckin' SEE it, baby."

Their veins were visible on the surface of their skin and something sparkly was teeming up and down them.

"Oh. My. God! We're not gonna be all veiny are we?"

"Like Dark Willow?" Willow asked and Buffy nodded.

"No, it'll wear off in a few minutes, the sparkles were my ode to the Twilight movies."

"With the sparkly vampires?" Faith shuddered.

"It was cute!" Willow defended her movie choice.

Buffy wrinkled her nose, "Not a fan."

Faith brought her arms closer to her face, "So fuckin' cool lookin'…" She looked at Willow. "Are we about to trip balls here, Will?"

"There goes the ball talk again…"

"No, Faith, it's just a little bit of a buzz, you probably feel it more intensely than someone else would because you're Slayers."

"Wouldn't that have the opposite effect on us for the same reason?" Buffy asked.

"Not with _my_ magicked products, Slayers get to feel the charge too."

"Chaaaahge…" Faith said in a Boston accent. "That's exactly what it looks like it's doin', B. Chargin' like the fuckin' flux capacitor."

"I love that movie," Willow sighed.

"So, we get a boat load of energy and no other side effects, Red?"

"Not anything that's really noticeable. No one's ever complained anyway."

"Will we be able to sleep?"

"Probably not for the next day, or so, depending on how well your body reacts to the magic."

"And no hairy eyeballs, or shrunken heads? Extra toe?" Faith asked.

"Nope, none, you'll be perfectly fine, just not tired."

"What happens when we come down?"

"It's not so much as a come down as it's a go away. It just goes away and you're left your vibrant selves."

"Damn, you should market this shit, Red."

"Nope, I don't sell to outsiders and no one but Ken and I know about it. Well, and now you guys too."

"I guess we better get to work, Faith," Buffy sighed, but it was an excited sound.

"Yeah, now I could go all night…"

"On that note," Willow said with her eyebrows somewhere around her hairline. "I'll be going."

"Ken should be home by now, huh?"

"Exactly!"

"Have fun, Will."

"The funnest," She said in her manic tone, and left.

* * *

"My veins are back to normal." Buffy said, staring at her arm. It had been about a couple of hours since they settle back down and started reading the emails.

Faith looked at her own, "I can still see a bit of the sparkly shit. Looks like I've been havin' too much fun with the glitter glue."

Buffy picked up the tablet again and read one of the emails on the screen, "She's flirting with him here…"

"Which one?"

"Number 67."

"Oh yeah, I just read that. It's kinda accurate to how I'd be with him though. She fuckin' nailed me," Faith thought about how that sounded, "I mean nailed my personality…ya know."

"I get it, Faith," Buffy said and then did a full body stretch.

"How can you be tired?"

"I'm not tired, but sitting here for the past two hours is making me feel restless."

"What time is it?"

Buffy looked at the tablet, sure enough there was a time display in the corner, "Almost twelve thirty."

"We were gonna break after ten emails, remember? We've done almost seventy. I think we should call it quits for tonight."

"The whole night?"

"Why, you afraid of that little pussy Willow?"

"Faith," Buffy scolded. "And no, but we have to get through…"

"B, quit being so responsible all the time, besides, this'll be research."

"Research?"

"Would I lie to you?"

Buffy narrowed her eyes at Faith, "Do you really need me to answer that?"

"Fuck it, Buffy. Jesus, let's just go!"

Buffy waited for a few moments before reluctantly answering, "Only because I'm curious about this 'research' thing. I want you to know I'm totally focused on the mission."

"Me too, now let's fuckin' haul ass while we still have time."

* * *

Buffy had changed her clothes before they went out at Faith's suggestion, but she still didn't know where they were going. As the cab pulled up to their destination, she could hear the beat playing and her heart synched up to it. A smile broke out on her face.

"Here buddy, keep the change," Faith said to the driver, handing him a twenty.

"Thank you, Missus," The foreign man said. "You have good time with ladies."

Faith laughed and opened the door pulling Buffy out as she went.

"Faith, wait, my purse…"

"What the fuck did you bring a purse…"

"Hey, I didn't know we were coming to a club…"

Faith sighed, she didn't want to get into a fight, which was the opposite of what she was trying to accomplish. They had to make this relationship work, and she felt this would be a good place to start.

Buffy leaned over on the seat and grabbed her purse.

Faith saw the way Buffy's jeans hugged her ass just right and looked away.

Purse in hand, Buffy stood next to Faith on the sidewalk.

"What're we looking at?" She asked as she looked down where Faith was looking.

"Nothin' just waiting for you. You have anything valuable in there?"

"Just my credit cards and ID."

Faith took the purse from Buffy, "You mind?"

"Go right ahead," Buffy said and looked at the people milling in front of the club. Some were lined up to get in, but others were just outside having a cigarette and talking. Two girls that were obviously in heavy like were hugged up to each other, speaking intensely. Buffy didn't really want to stare, and she wouldn't have, but they were just too intriguing.

She didn't notice that Faith had walked off until she was walking back to her.

"What did you need my purse for?"

"To give to that lady over there."

"What?" Buffy looked across the street and a drag queen wearing next to nothing had her purse in her hands. Buffy started to make her way off the curb but Faith caught her elbow and held her back.

"Faith! That was my Nina!"

"I know, babe, she's just holdin' it for us. I shoulda told you not to bring a purse."

"Holding it for us?" Buffy struggled even harder, but Faith tightened her grip.

"C'mon, sweety, let's go in."

Puzzled by the third affectionate word for her that Faith had used that night, Buffy stopped struggling as hard, but still pulled away from Faith.

"Where are my belongings?"

"Your valuables are in my pocket, let's go."

Buffy was still miffed as they walked into the club.

The beat was pumping in the entry way, and as they made their way into the main room, the energy was palpable. It seemed to hook up to whatever magic was coursing through their veins and made them want to groove with it.

Buffy noticed there were mostly only women at this club. There had been no name on the outside of the building, but she didn't need to be a genius to know that they were in a lesbian establishment.

She'd been to a few with Willow and Kennedy before and that time Satsu came for a visit, so it was nothing new, she was just curious that Faith seemed to know exactly where it was.

The music was getting into a seemingly unstoppable groove as they stood there and watched the dance floor erupt when a popular song came on.

_Poppin bottles in the ice, like a blizzard__  
__When we drink we do it right gettin slizzard__  
__Sippin sizzurp in my ride, like Three 6__  
__Now I'm feelin so fly like a G6__  
__Like a G6, Like a G6__  
__Now I'm feelin so fly like a G6_

The dance floor quickly expanded to just right in front of them as most of the people that were standing to either side of them moved and started dancing as well.

Buffy and Faith backed up towards the bar, but were both tapping out the beat of the song.

Faith touched Buffy's arm and leaned over to shout in her ear, "You wanna drink?"

Buffy looked over at the bar, and thought about it for a moment, she nodded her head.

"Cool, be right back."

Faith made her way to the end of the bar that had an inch of room to which to thread her way through.

After waiting patiently for a few minutes she finally caught the eye of one of the busy bartenders who didn't even bother to try and ask what Faith wanted, she started pouring a Jack and Coke, Faith laughed.

"I need another drink too!" She shouted.

The good looking woman raised her eyebrow and put the mixed drink on the bar, waiting for Faith's other order. She took care of another customer while Faith thought.

"Fuck if I know…" Faith mumbled. "She probably digs peaches. Lemme get a sex on the beach."

The bartender nodded and poured the drink, and accepted Faith's cash.

Finally with a drink in each hand, and some stealthy agility she made her way back over towards where Buffy was standing without spilling any.

To where Buffy and her new friend were standing to be exact.

"Already gotta be fightin' bitches off," Faith mumbled.

"Oooh, baby, you're finally back," Buffy shouted at Faith, excitedly. Then as she moved in closer to except the drink, she rolled her eyes towards the woman who had obviously taken an interest in her.

"Got you a sex on the beach," Faith said, with a shrug. "Hey, what's up?" She said to the woman who gave her a head nod.

"Your girl looked lonely, thought I'd keep her company," The woman with short spiky hair smiled a friendly smile.

"Cool, thanks," Faith said loudly with a nod. It seemed like nodding was the way to make a point in this kind of loudness.

"Oooh, peaches! Mmmm," Buffy exclaimed after she finished a big sip through the little straw in her glass.

'Score,' Faith thought.

"If you guys wanna party, I got my friends over there, we're gonna take it private soon," The woman indicated to a group of women sitting on a banquet raising their glasses in greeting to Faith and Buffy. They were all very tastefully dressed, while still being dressed appropriately for a club and clearly exuded money.

"We'll think about it, I just got paroled though, so we're tryin' to have some alone time."

Faith was surprised when the woman looked impressed instead of worried about what she just heard.

"Alone time with about a thousand sweaty dykes? Yeah, okay," She laughed. "If you change your mind, we're over there."

"Thanks for the invite, we'll let you know," Faith nodded again. A couple of the women waved at her and Buffy from their spot as the messenger made her way back to them.

"She was really nice," Buffy said to Faith. "I think she wanted to dance, but she didn't ask when you came up."

"Oh fuck," Faith said, just realizing who one of the women were. "She was a PA."

"A what?" Buffy asked loudly. She couldn't even hear herself think in this place.

"A personal assistant," Faith took a huge drink.

"For those women?"

"One of 'em at least."

"You know them?"

"One of 'em."

"Which one?" Buffy tried to look over without being too obvious. She saw one of the women looking over, obviously liking what she was seeing in Faith.

"You're serious?" Faith looked at Buffy incredulously.

"Why? Should I know her?"

"Fuckin' A, B," Faith said, and Buffy giggled. "Damn you're sloshed and you haven't even drunk half yet."

"Slizzard…like a G6…"

"Oh God," Faith said, laughing. Then she pulled Buffy closer to her.

As Faith whispered loudly into her ear Buffy's eyes got big.

"That's her?" She mouthed to Faith, trying not to stare.

"Yeah, don't look."

"Oh. My. God. Faith!"

"I know, it's cool, right?"

Buffy nodded, "She's coming over!"

"I didn't want to interrupt you and your girlfriend, but you guys looked so precious…" She put her hand out to Faith who took it and found it an awkward position to try to shake, so she did what felt natural, she placed a kiss on it.

"Such a lady," The woman with the blood red lipstick said to Buffy. "She's a keeper."

Buffy nodded, still stunned, "I love your music!"

"Thanks, so do I," She winked and bid them goodbye, her entourage following closely behind.

"You kissed her hand!"

"I did?" Faith looked puzzled.

They both looked at each other like they couldn't believe what just happened.

"Was _she_ the woman you said you knew?"

"No, that was one of her posse…fuck! If I knew she was a friend of hers maybe I'd have fucked her like she wanted."

Buffy closed her eyes briefly and shook her head, "You've got to explain that more when my ears aren't bleeding."

Faith shrugged and downed the rest of her drink.

Buffy was happily sipping on hers but Faith clearly needed to move. The music was getting into her soul and she needed to let it out.

A song with an ethereal hook behind a booming bass track started up, Faith watched patiently as Buffy finished her drink then grabbed the glass and put it on a small table. She pulled her by the hand and they made their way through the writhing bodies on the dance floor. When they got to the middle, the singer's voice whispered, "_Embrace me_…."

'Here we go,' Buffy thought.

Faith twirled her around and molded herself to her body like a snake. _"Surround me…"_ She looked intensely into the green eyes that were looking intensely back at her. They knew what needed to be done.

_Embrace me…_

Buffy didn't question anything, she just flowed into Faith and they let go. Together.

_As the rush comes…_

_Traveling somewhere, could be anywhere__  
__There's a coldness in the air but I don't care__  
__We drift deeper life goes on__  
__We drift deeper into the sound_

_Embrace me…_

The crowd around them felt the electricity coming off of their bodies and naturally formed a circle.

_Surround me…_

_As the rush comes…_

_Traveling somewhere, could be anywhere__  
__There's a coldness in the air, hey, but I don't care__  
__We drift deeper into the sound life goes on__  
__We drift deeper into the sound feeling strong_

Faith quickly pushed Buffy away, taunting her.

_So bring it on__  
__So bring it on_

Buffy crashed back into her and they kept moving with the beat.

_We drift deeper into the sound life goes on__  
__We drift deeper into the sound feeling strong_

They both certainly felt a strength they hadn't experience before.

_So bring it on__  
__So bring it on_

_We drift deeper…_

It was like time stopped and they were the only people left on the planet.

At first Buffy couldn't believe the way Faith's hands were all over her. The last time they danced like this their hands stayed on their own person. Except for the moment when they held each other's hands to make sure they weren't pulled off the floor into other directions. But now their movement wouldn't allow for that. They were completely engrossed in each other.

Like they were lovers.

_We drift deeper life goes on…we drift deeper…drift deeper_

_We drift deeper into the sound life goes on__  
__We drift deeper into the sound feeling strong__  
__So bring it on__  
__So bring it on_

Buffy grabbed Faith's hips and moved impossibly closer.

_We drift deeper into the sound life goes on__  
__We drift deeper into the sound feeling strong_

No one could deny that they fit together incredibly well as they moved.

_So bring it on__  
__So bring it on_

There was a whirlwind of movement from the pair as the crowd looked on and whooped. They knew they were witnessing something special.

Faith again twirled Buffy around and this time pulled Buffy's back into her, grinding into her ass and encircling her body with her arms. Buffy didn't even protest when she felt Faith's hands cup her breasts.

_Embrace me__  
__Surround me as the rush comes_

_Embrace me__  
__Surround me as the rush comes_

_Embrace me__  
__Surround me as the rush comes_

Buffy pushed her chest further into Faith's hands, and ground her ass harder into her pelvis. Not caring that she was giving anyone a free show.

_Oh embrace me__  
__Surround me as the rush comes_

_Embrace me__  
__Surround me as the rush comes_

_Oh embrace me__  
__Surround me as the rush comes_

_Oh embrace me__  
__Surround me as the rush comes_

_As the rush comes… as the rush comes… as the rush comes_

As the song wound down, they danced slower, and then came to a stop. Buffy whipped her head around, her lips millimeters from Faith's.

The crowd hung on in anticipation of the payoff to this visible almost fucking they had been treated to for free on the dance floor.

* * *

"Honey," Willow said. "They've been down there a really long time, especially for them. Do you think they might have killed each other?"

Kennedy shrugged and kissed Willow's shoulder from behind. They had just finished their fourth round of sex.

"Maybe…shit, then we'd have to go undercover."

"I'm gonna take a quick shower and then see how they're doing."

Kennedy rolled on her back and groaned, "Will…"

"Come on, my big strong Slayer-y goodness," Willow bent down for her girlfriend's hand. "I'll give you a rub down later."

"Oh, you'll be giving me a rub down alright…" Kennedy remembered something. "Hey, wait! I'm supposed to be mad at you!"

"For what?"

"For taking Buffy's side all the time…"

"I just do that so she'll stop pouting, you know I eventually get my way," Willow said, and made her way to the door of the bathroom. She shook her hips and looked back over her shoulder. Kennedy was definitely drooling.

"Tell you what, baby, you bring up the conference room on your witchy device and then I'll join you in the shower."

"Sounds like a plan," Willow snapped her fingers and a beam of light seem to shoot out of the floor.

There was a view of the room. The very empty room.

"There's the room…" Kennedy said.

"Where's the Slayers?" Willow asked.

* * *

The dance floor had gone back to being un-electrified after the Slayer's left it.

There was a small banquette in the corner of the room, however that was getting sizzling and steamier by the minute. Several gawkers couldn't look away from the two women who were kissing each other with abandon. The whispered endearments and the love that was visible from them between kisses were too plain to miss.

These girls were in love.

"Mmm, you do that so well…" Buffy said when their latest kiss ended.

"What?" Faith asked, her voice thick with desire and her eyes flashing with need.

"That thing with your tongue…"

Faith's smile deepened and Buffy caught the movement of Faith's tongue rubbing on her top teeth. It made her pussy twinge with a yearning she hadn't felt in a long time.

"Last call, ladies!"

"What time is it?"

Faith looked at her watch, "Three thirty. Why? You turn into a pumpkin after 4?"

"No," She smiled. "But we should be getting back. Will'll be getting up soon to check on us if she hasn't already."

* * *

"Where's their location?"

"Meat packing district."

"Oh, ohhhh…"

"What?"

"That's where that club we took Faith to is located."

"Oh…"

"They're just blowing off some steam, babe. Come back to bed and blow some steam off with me, will ya?"

"I doubt they're blowing off that kinda steam…right?" Willow asked, unsure.

* * *

"One more drink, B. I just had that three…how about you?"

"Yeah, I'm really thirsty."

"Same thing?"

"That'd be wonderful."

Faith waited as Buffy shifted off of her lap and then got up. She could feel the stares from others at the two of them the whole time they were on the dance floor and especially when they had walked arm in arm and fell on the seat they occupied now. Kissing like there were no tomorrow.

You would have thought they had never tried to kill each other.

As Buffy watched Faith walk out of the room, the girl across from her leaned in conspiratorially.

"You two just met?"

Buffy blushed, "No, we…we've been together for a while."

"How long?"

She wasn't sure what she should answer, so she felt she'd go with the semi-truth.

"Eight years."

"Oh wow, that's a freakin' marriage!"

Buffy laughed, "I guess."

"No really, my first marriage lasted three months."

Buffy didn't know what to say to that so she just said, "Sorry."

"Oh, don't be…it was the best thing I ever did." The woman smiled. "You two are so good together, it looks like new love."

"We keep surprising each other."

"That's important."

Faith walked up and handed Buffy her drink, "What is?"

"Surprising each other," Buffy said, smiling at the woman.

"Surprise, baby," Faith held out her right fist in front of Buffy and it took her a moment to wrap her brain around what Faith was asking her to do.

"Oh my God…" The woman on the other couch said, putting her hand to her chest.

"B?"

Buffy blinked and looked up at Faith.

Faith's eyebrow raised, "You gonna tap my fist?"

Buffy tapped Faith's fist lightly and marveled at the shiny thing she saw there in the suddenly upturned palm.

"We've been shacked up so long, baby. You wanna make me an honest woman?"

Buffy's smile radiated around the room, she faintly heard claps from the other patrons that were left. She looked up at Faith again, but hadn't made to accept the ring from her.

"You gonna make me beg?"

"A little," Buffy wrinkled her nose cutely. "I just…I always pictured you down on one knee."

Faith narrowed her eyes but immediately dropped down on one knee. She put the ring in her left hand and her right hand over her heart.

"Buffy Sss…" She caught herself. "Sexy Buffy, B, my Queen B…would you please do me the honor of marrying me?"

A lone tear fell out of Buffy's right eye and she had to put her hands in front of her face to stop her sob.

"Don't cry, baby…just say yes."

Buffy nodded and moved to take the ring from Faith.

"Ah, ah, ah…let me," She put the ring in the fingers of her right hand and took Buffy's left hand with hers, "I can't believe after all we've been through, after all the fighting and hating over the years, that we're actually here. I'll make you the happiest woman that ever lived, B. Make me the happiest woman in the world by wearing this in good health for all our days."

"Oh my God, that was so romantic," The woman who had been talking to Buffy sobbed.

Some people laughed and others clapped again.

The bartender popped her head around the corner, "Hey, those drinks are on the house. You ladies sure brang the noise tonight. Congratulations!"

Buffy was still stunned, staring at the ring on her finger.

"Thanks," Faith said, not looking at anyone, just watching Buffy.

Buffy suddenly stood up and hugged Faith close, she appeared to whisper something into her ear and then pulled back and kissed her full on the lips.

A few wolf whistles were heard.

They pulled apart and smiled shyly at their audience.

"Thanks, guys," Faith said, then put her forehead on Buffy's.

"Yeah, thanks for being here for this special occasion." Buffy turned her head to the side to address the crowd. "I couldn't have asked for better people if I had invited you myself."

Faith nuzzled Buffy's neck making her shiver.

"I think your woman needs to be taken home…" One person said.

"Before she does you on the couch," Someone else said, and everyone laughed.

Buffy and Faith kissed deeply one last time in front of everyone, then Buffy pulled Faith along to the coat check at the door.

Once outside they didn't move off from each other, they leaned into one another for warmth. The drag queen/prostitute was still across the street. While she wasn't dressed with any more clothes, she had on a different outfit. Some of her clothing was strewn on a car.

"Delilah, you get any dates tonight?" Faith said as she pulled Buffy with her across the street.

"More than a few, honey. So many my pussy hurts."

Faith let out a short laugh.

"You still got my woman's purse?"

"Right here, darlin'," Delilah reached into her huge handbag and handed Faith Buffy's purse.

"Thanks, Ms. D."

"My pleasure, baby doll."

Faith went to hand her a twenty and she put up her hand.

"Put that money away, honeychile, 'fore I beat your ass with a switch!" Delilah said dramatically, clearly affronted by the offer of cash. Then said, seriously, "You saved my life, I never forget a kindness."

"Alright, alright! We better get goin', come on, B."

"Hey, Miss No-Manners. You gonna introduce me to your lady?"

Faith stepped closer to Delilah and spoke low, "She's not really my lady."

"That's not what you said when you walked up here. Besides, you could've fooled me…walkin' up here lookin' so good together. Just like bread and butter. Warm bread and sweet creamy butter," The Slayer's stomachs growled in unison. "Oooh, you girls got the bubble guts?"

Faith laughed, "No, we're just hungry."

"Oh, 'cause I have some pepto in my bag…"

"Delilah!" Faith insisted. "We're okay."

Delilah put her hand out to Buffy, "Sorry dear…Delilah Sparks, nice to meet you, sweet thang."

"Buffy Summers," Buffy said as she took Delilah's hand. "Likewise."

"Buffy…Buffy…" Delilah regarded her for a moment. "You the head chick Faith's told me about?"

Buffy looked at Faith, but she had looked away, "I guess so…I…"

"Look, you don't have to hide who you are in front of me, baby. Faith here saved me from those oogedy boogedy's about a year back now. Didn't know she was a carpet muncher, but if it's your carpet she's munching honey…"

"Hey, hey, wait…"

"No, Faith," Buffy said and looked at her fully. "Why should we hide our relationship now?" Buffy showed off her ring to Delilah.

"Oh my stars and bars…"

"We're gonna be married…"

"It's about time this Raggedy Ann settled down."

Faith rolled her eyes, "Thanks."

"You're welcome, honey," Delilah spotted a potential client. "You babies run along home now. I got to make my way in this world…" She sashayed down the street.

Buffy stood looking at Faith as she hailed a cab. One pulled up and Faith opened the door for Buffy to slide in. She started to get in but then stopped.

"You have a lot to explain tonight, F."

The night had been too good to be true.

Faith sighed, hesitating for a second. She was thinking about just shutting the door and hailing another cab.

"Come on, Faith! Let's go get something to eat, I'm hungry…you?"

"Starved," Faith said as she looked down and saw Buffy's sly grin.

* * *

Faith sat back in the darkened booth and popped the top button on her jeans.

"Oh fuck, Buffy…"

"I know, I can't believe we ate that whole thing."

"Thing? Things!"

Buffy burped a little and laughed, "We should go on that Man vs. Food challenge show."

"Slayer vs. Food? That would make people sick. It makes _me_ sick watchin' that dude stuff his face with all that food."

"True…" Buffy said, remembering how Faith absolutely mauled the burger she had before they ordered the plate of ribs.

"I know, don't picture it, B. I was fucking rarved."

"Rarved?"

"Really starved."

"Oh right…" Buffy said, remembering how Faith had emptied out her stomach when she arrived in New York earlier that evening. Her stomach flipped and she really wished she hadn't remembered that.

"Don't think of that either! God…"

Buffy looked at her puzzled and asked, "How do you know what I'm thinking?"

"It's written all over your face," Faith shrugged and took a sip of her coffee. "You still feel that shit in your veins?"

"Yeah, definitely," Buffy rubbed her forearm and it sparkled faintly. "Weird."

"I think Red gave us some witchy X."

"You thought that too?"

Faith looked surprised, "You know what that feels like?"

"I'm not a goody, goody prude, Faith."

"Didn't say you were, Buffy. Just with the fact that the side effects are that it creates a slow leak of spinal fluid, I figured you wouldn't have taken it."

"I didn't know that then, and as a matter of fact, when I heard about it I stopped."

"Where'd you do it?"

"Italy."

"Bet that was a blast."

Buffy shrugged, "It was okay, could've been better." She took a sip of her coffee, then asked, "So, about the ring…"

Faith smiled, "You liked that?"

"It was quite a touch," Buffy had to admit she was impressed.

"Do I make a great girlfriend or what?" Faith asked, proudly.

Buffy shook her head, smiling.

"Don't get too attached to that ring though, B. I gotta take it back."

"Where'd you get it from?"

"Ken's side table drawer."

Buffy's eyes bugged out of her head as she looked at the ring that was supposed to be going to her best friend on the eight day of Hanukkah. Which was in less than a day.

"Faith! You stole Willow's ring!"

"Shhh, B…Jesus, pipe down! I didn't steal it, I borrowed it for a night."

"But what if I'd lost it?" Buffy asked, looking at the ring like it was going to kill her.

"Well then we'd be goin' undercover for really reals, and sooner than we thought. Willow Protection Program even."

Buffy tried to pull the ring off her finger, but was having some difficulty.

"Hey! Don't do that here, you could lose it for real," Faith said, putting her hands on Buffy's to make her stop. "Just wait until we get home." She noticed something. "Your fingers are bigger than Red's?"

"Stubbier," Buffy said, distastefully looking at her fingers after pulling her hands out of Faith's grasp.

"Nah, they're not so stubby…just kinda…yeah, they're stubs, but cute, ya know? Not like my big old meaty claws."

"What are you talking about?" Buffy took one of Faith's hands in hers. "You've got nice slender fingers." She slid the tips of her fingers along Faith's hand.

"You a palm reader now?"

"Maybe…" Buffy smiled at her and looked at her palm. "Your love line is long…"

"And life line is stubby, like your fingers," She winked at Buffy and then took her hand back looking at it. "What's new, right?"

They sat in silence for a few minutes, sipping their coffee and trying not to look at each other. Both thinking of the mission they were about to undertake and wondering if this was the one that they wouldn't come back from.

"So…" Buffy began again, she remembered a couple of things about the night that she wanted to ask Faith. "Delilah. You saved her from vamps?"

"Oh fuck, I saved her from a whole pack of 'em!"

"You were at that club?"

"Well, goin' to it…I was meetin' a friend there."

"That girl you mentioned?"

"Yep," Faith said and picked up her napkin, suddenly finding it interesting.

"Were you two…"

Faith clearly looked uncomfortable and started to say something but stopped, then said, "Can we not talk about that? I mean I know we're supposed to be bonding and getting to know each other better, but I'm not ready to share that kinda thing."

"That's cool," Buffy nodded quickly. "I was just wondering. I guess we really don't need to share a lot of our past love lives. Besides, in our current relationship we're supposed to have been together for eight years."

"Eight? Really?"

"Yeah, that's what one of the emails Will sent Joe said."

"Damn, that's funny…" Faith trailed off.

"What is?"

"That's how long we've actually known each other for."

Buffy did the math in her head.

"You're right," She sat and thought about it.

"You think it's weird that Will used us like this?"

"Extremely," Buffy's eyes widened.

"You gonna rip her a new one when this is over?"

Buffy shrugged, "I don't know, I'm trying this new thing lately."

"What?"

"Not being a huge bitch and waiting for things to pan out before I make speeches."

"Woah, that _is_ a thing!" Faith said clearly impressed.

Buffy smiled and then stuck her tongue out.

Faith playfully winked at her.

They went silent again for a little while.

Faith finally broke it, "I just want you to know that I'm…uhhh…I uhhh…"

Buffy didn't say anything, she let Faith find the words she needed.

"I'm not the girl I used to be," She finally said with certainty.

Buffy was going to say something smart about that being a song title, but she decided against it.

"None of us are, Faith. A lot has happened since we were kids."

Faith laughed, "Some kids, huh? The things we've seen…"

"I know. I try not to think about how obliviously blissful we could've been if we weren't chosen."

"And then you eat a side of beef and a whole chocolate pie without gaining an ounce…"

"And it puts things into perspective."

"Right," Faith laughed and looked at her watch, "On the eighth day of Hanukkah," She sung clear and true to the tune of _Twelve Days of Christmas_ "We'd better ha-ul ass." She signaled the waitress and who brought their check over.

Faith handed her a hundred dollar bill, "Keep the change, Mabes."

The woman with a name tag that said 'Mable' nodded to Faith, "You're such a sweetheart. Don't make such a stranger of yourself, you got it?"

"I got it."

Buffy waited for Faith who had gone to use the rest room, in the lobby of the restaurant. When she walked up, Buffy put her arm out for Faith to thread hers through.

"Let's go home, _girlfriend_," Buffy said.

Faith smiled at how that sounded and shook her head, accepting the offer of Buffy's arm and doing one better by snaking her arm around her waist. They fit comfortably together.

"So fuckin' freaky, yeah?"

"Oh, yeah," Buffy laughed, leaning into Faith closer.

Passersby on the street smiled and nodded at the good looking young couple who seemed so happy and in love as they walked towards their apartment building in the early morning light.


	3. La Cosa Buffy

Chapter 3- La Cosa Buffy

**Author's Notes:** For Gina. I hope the fact that this is an extra long chapter makes up for the fact that I didn't update last week. Preparing for holidays puts a cramp in the writing style. ;) 

When Faith and Buffy got to within a few feet of the front door to the apartment building that served as the Slayer's headquarters in New York, they were startled by the sudden opening of the heavy door, and the accusatory looks they were getting from Kennedy.

"What?"

"Don't give me 'What?'! You know what!" Kennedy said, Willow was behind her trying to hold her back.

"Ken, they've just gone out to blow off some steam…why are you so mad?"

Kennedy started to say something, but thought better of it, her eyes bugged out when she saw the ring on Buffy's finger.

"What, honey?" Willow asked. "What's the matter?"

Buffy quickly put her hand in her pocket.

"Nothing, Will." Kennedy grumbled. "But I need to talk to these guys in my study, okay, babe? Go make us some coffee…can you do that, sweets?"

Willow was skeptical but she decided to obey Kennedy.

"Okay…"

"Just some Slayer business, hon, nothing for you to get worried about."

"Did you want cookies too?"

"Love some," Faith answered.

Kennedy glared at her but spoke normally to her girlfriend, "That would be aces, Will."

Faith and Buffy followed Kennedy to her study. She had insisted on a room aside from their bedroom that could be her own. No one questioned it because they really didn't care too much. They had apartments of their own in different cities around the world, this headquarters had always seemed like Kennedy and Willow's place anyway.

As soon as the door to the study was closed Kennedy turned on Buffy and Faith.

"Why is she wearing the ring I'm supposed to be giving to Willow tonight?" She practically screamed the question while pointing to Buffy's hand. The hand that was still nestled snugly in her pocket.

"Hey, Trust Fund, take it down a fucking decibel or two, would ya?" Faith had her hands up to her ears. When it looked like they were safe from anymore screaming she removed them. "Goddamn, Ken. Achieving deafness is not one of my fucking life goals."

"How about achieving living to the next fucking day, Faith?"

"Are you _really_ threatening me?" Faith had a maniacal smile on her face and Buffy quickly stepped in between them.

"Hey, hey, guys. No need for this. Ken…I didn't know that this was Willow's."

Kennedy pointed her finger into Faith's face.

"No, but _she_ did!"

Faith didn't say anything to that, she only moved in closer, further sandwiching Buffy between them.

"Kennedy, please." Buffy said, struggling to get them to back up. "We weren't stealing it."

"The fact that it's on your finger, _Buffy_, is not really convincing me of that."

"Look, I'm taking it off right now…" Buffy tried to get the ring off of her finger but wasn't having any luck. "I think those ribs bloated me…" She looked apologetically at Kennedy who looked like steam was about to come out of her ears.

Faith decided to help Buffy out by backing down and asking, "Ken, you got any butter in that fridge over there?"

"Why would I have butter in there?"

"It was just a fuckin' question," Faith huffed, another thought popping into her head made her smile devilishly. "How 'bout lube?"

Kennedy looked like she was about to say something smart-assed, but backed down and stomped over to her desk drawer.

Buffy looked a little horrified at Faith who just shrugged her shoulders.

"Now, B. Don't struggle too…" The ring had practically popped off of Buffy's finger as soon Faith started to work it off after applying a dab of lube. "See?" She gave it to Kennedy who had a towel ready and was treating it like it was a ticking time bomb. "How easy was that?"

"I'm going to go clean this up and then I'm gonna come back and you're gonna tell me why you stole my ring."

Buffy was about to say something but Faith stopped her and said to Kennedy, "We'll be down in the war room, Ken." She nodded her head at Buffy. "C'mon B, we've got some work to get done."

* * *

After several minutes of silence, Buffy looked across the table at Faith.

"When did you take the ring?"

"While you were gettin' changed. I snuck into Ken's 'study' and nabbed it out of her desk drawer."

"Why?"

"To one up you for kissin' me like you did earlier."

"Oh…" Buffy let the conversation trail off.

"'Sides, I figure we've gotta get started somewhere, right? These two are supposed to be really close, ya know? After eight years, they should at least be engaged." Faith shrugged, "I don't know, maybe I'm over thinkin' this…"

"No, you're thinking right. I was just a little startled by it, that's all."

"You know what though? Maybe we don't even have to go in there as a couple, maybe I'll just have Will email him and say we broke up or something…"

"What? Why would you do that?"

"So you don't have to go in there."

Buffy felt panicked, that seemed like the worst idea she had heard since Dawn wanted to make Tuna/peanut butter pancakes when she was in the third grade.

"Faith, two slayers are better than one, we can't change the plan this late in the game. And if I think of some more catchy phrases I'll be sure and let you know, but I'm not backing out of this, so stop making plans like that."

"I just thought it would be easier."

"For who? You?"

Faith waited a few moments before answering, "I don't know, B. Maybe. For you mostly though."

"For me? Because I'm the stupid girlfriend?"

"And because it's dangerous."

Buffy narrowed her eyes and Faith knew she had been saved from a speech as Kennedy came into the room.

"Okay, I'm here," Kennedy said as she sat down and put her feet up on the table. "Spill."

It was Faith's turn to narrow her eyes.

"Spill?"

"Why you felt you had to steal from me. You're lucky it's back and unharmed by the way."

Buffy was about to say something in their defense but Faith put a hand up.

"No, B. It was all me, don't try to explain it," She gave Kennedy the most honest face she could muster. "I'm sorry, I have a problem with being impulsive. It's an ADHD thing," She looked at Buffy and shrugged when she said that. "I shouldn't have done that and I'm sorry. Next time I'll think before I take something so special. Are we okay, Ken?" She put her hand out for a shake.

Kennedy was taken aback and couldn't speak for several moments; she just stared at Faith's hand.

"Ken?" Faith asked quietly.

Kennedy blinked and then accepted the handshake warmly.

"Of course we're okay, Faith. I mean…I didn't mean that I was that mad or nothing. I just would have liked a heads up," She said shaking Faith's hand the whole time.

Faith gave her one final shake, with her other hand over Kennedy's, "I'm real sorry, Ken. It won't happen again."

"Thanks, Faith," Kennedy said, almost blushingly. "Hopefully she'll say yes, and then you'll have to witch it off her finger if you wanted to get it after tonight."

Faith slapped Kennedy on the shoulder, "That's right! It's tonight. Hot damn, Kendog! You're gonna make her one happy woman." She smiled brightly then looked at Buffy, "You were pretty happy to get that ring, weren't you, B? Imagine when it's for real tonight for Will."

Buffy who was a little awestruck at the way Faith handled Kennedy's justified anger, took a moment before smiling brightly as well.

"I can't wait to see her face when she shows me!"

"It's gonna be epic!" Kennedy exclaimed and then got to her feet. "Okay, I better go get ready. I'm taking Will out to brunch and then we're gonna check into a room at the Plaza. I'm doing this up right."

Faith stood up and extended her hand again, pulling Kennedy into a hug when she accepted it.

"It's not every day one of your friends commits themselves to another for a lifetime. Congratulations, Ken. You both deserve the happiness you're about to give each other. I can't think of better people to have this happen to."

Kennedy hugged Faith harder, "Thanks so much, Faith. You've been such a good friend. I can't begin to thank you enough."

"Don't mention it," Faith said, giving another squeeze before she stepped back.

Kennedy looked at Buffy and Faith gave her a head nod, she stepped up to Kennedy and also gave her a hug.

"Congratulations, Ken. Go make my best friend the most happiest best friend in history."

Kennedy's happiness was evident as she pulled out of the hug, the smile on her face was huge.

"Thanks guys," She said, tearing up. "I always kinda think of you guys as my big sisters…and well…I think sometimes…" She stopped, the tears were causing a knot in her throat.

Faith touched her arm, "Say it, Ken."

She looked at the Slayers with shining eyes then looked away, "It's stupid…"

"No, Ken," Faith rubbed her arm a little. "Just say it, we'll understand."

"Sometimes I think you guys just tolerate me because I'm Will's girlfriend," She said, letting out a half sob-half laugh.

Buffy pursed her lips, she wasn't about to lie, but she didn't want to tell the truth either.

"Ken, listen to me," Faith said soothingly. "Sometimes I see myself in you, and…well…you and I have talked, right?"

"Right," Kennedy said, nodding and wiping her eyes. "No, I know…I forget that sometimes, I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Faith pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket. "Here, wipe your nose, Snotty."

Kennedy laughed and accepted the linen cloth.

"Okay," She said, with a big sigh. "I know how you get about sharing your _feeling_ so I'll just be on my way."

"Smart ass," Faith laughed.

"Thanks again, guys," She smiled, looking at them one more time.

The Slayers waved at her and she left.

When the door was shut, Buffy watched as Faith sat down and picked up the tablet with emails.

"Wow, Faith."

"What?"

Buffy shook her head, "I don't know…I've just…never seen you in action like that before."

Faith looked up at Buffy and smiled, "You liked that huh?"

"It was all a show wasn't it?"

"Not all, but at first I was plannin' to tear her a new one. Then I thought about it, I shouldn't have taken the ring. And then it just came down to I didn't want to hear her bitchin', so I said what she needed to hear."

Buffy looked impressed but didn't say anything. They settled into reading the emails for a few hours, occasionally pointing things out that they needed to follow up on or not forget to each other.

Willow broke up the monotony with a tray of food.

"Holy shit, Will. I'd hug and kiss you but your girl might take my head off," Faith said as she launched herself out of the chair and opened some of the lids on the dishes.

"I doubt it, Faith. She was up there helping me, and singing your praises the whole time," She looked at Buffy as she put the tray down on the table. "Yours, too."

Buffy was indeed surprised. She and Kennedy had never really gotten along. Especially not since she tried to get her barred from her own house back in Sunnydale, but now, with what Faith had accomplished earlier, it looked as though they didn't have to hate each other as much. That was going to make these next couple of weeks go infinitely smoother.

The Slayers sat down to their plates of food and Willow was about to leave when Faith motioned for her to sit. She couldn't speak because she had just put a huge forkful of spaghetti in her mouth.

"But…I…we just got back from our brunch and I have to get packed, Faith."

Faith kicked out at the chair next to her and sent it sliding to right in front of Willow. Faith didn't miss a beat eating her food, as Willow sighed and finally sat down. Next, Faith tapped onto the screen on the pad with her pinkie, the only finger on either of her hand to be free of crumbs or tomato sauce.

"So, I'm reading through these emails, and this one jumped right out at me," She swiped her finger across the screen and then unsuccessfully tried to pick up the tab trying not to get her fingers all over the screen. Willow tapped the table and the email popped out into the ether and hung there in front of them.

"Oh…" Willow said quietly, as she read what email Faith was referring to.

"Yeah, 'Oh'. Didn't you think the same thing, B? 'Oh'? Isn't that what you said?"

Buffy laid her fork down and took a sip of her diet coke.

"No," She said when she was done. "I thought 'What the hell was my best friend thinking?'"

Willow looked scared, then said in a rush, "I didn't mean it the way it looks!"

"Hey, Red. No need to yell and get all frickin' upset. I'm just askin' you about this 'cause it seems important."

Buffy agreed.

"Okay, so what do you want to know about it?"

'Besides the fact that it seems like you really want me and B together?' Thought Faith; instead she asked, "You talked about having sex with your girlfriend here with him?"

Willow blushed, "Uhhh…"

"Will, don't be shy about this shit now," Faith said trying to grab a napkin which Buffy eventually handed to her. "Thanks, babe." She said without thinking, Buffy was taken aback, but didn't say anything. "Red, we need all the details, I don't want to go in there and then come out with nothing but my dick in my hand."

Willow furrowed her brow, "That's the second time you mentioned penises in reference to yourself, Faith. Is there something you're not telling us?"

Faith sighed, "It's a line from the Godfather."

"Ooooh, right, when they're talking about planting the gun in the bathroom of that restaurant. Do you remember that scene Buffy?"

"I've never seen that movie."

Faith put her hand over her heart, "What?"

"What, 'What?'," Buffy shrugged. "I never got around to seeing it."

"Oh right, 'cause it didn't have…who was it that you used to watch in those stupid movies all the time? Frankie somebody."

"Freddie Prinze, Jr.," Buffy mumbled and continued eating.

Faith looked at her, "That's right. Never really was into him. Sweet lookin' dude. Anyway, Buffy, that's not the point. I can't believe you haven't seen those movies. We gotta watch 'em, you can't go into that situation without watching some of the mob classics."

"I have no objection to movie nights."

Faith smiled, "Sweet! We'll start tonight with the first Godfather, sorta ease you into it all."

Buffy smiled back at her and put another forkful of spaghetti into her mouth.

Willow smirked and watched them a moment before asking, "Was there anything else I could clear up for you?"

"Nah, that was all so far. Unless you got anything you need to ask her, B?"

Buffy looked at Willow and narrowed her eyes, "Nothing that I want to ask right now, but we'll talk later, right Will?"

"S-sure, Buff. Gotta go now. Ken and I have those reservations…" She said as she hurried out of the room. "Hope you like dessert!"

"That witch…" Buffy started to admonish Willow's hasty departure, but realized what she had said at the end. "Did she say dessert?"

Faith laughed, "Yeah she did. I think it's in that cooler she put on the side table there."

Buffy opened the small cooler and squealed, "Tiramisu!"

"Later, Buffy. First finish your dinner."

Buffy looked at her affronted but put back the dessert and closed the lid, "Fine, _Mom_."

"No one can ever replace Joyce the Great, B. But I felt her spirit enter my body just then and it said, 'Make sure she eats all of her dinner before she has dessert.'"

"Since when did you become so responsible?" Buffy raised her eyebrow.

"Since I had to fight for my life practically every day in jail," Faith shrugged, dipped a piece of bread in the sauce on her plate and popped it into her mouth.

"Oh…right," Buffy said quietly. "Sorry."

"Don't be," Faith said when she had chewed sufficiently. "You helped save my life. Ya know…orderin' me to jail."

Buffy looked slightly worried and didn't quite meet Faith's eyes when she spoke, "Well, you…you looked…"

"Crazy as hell? I know. I wouldn't have stopped if it weren't for big A, and I knew you were right about jail. But at first I wasn't too happy with the thought of goin' and I did some more stupid shit." Faith took a sip of her soda. "Jail was the shock to my system I needed to really quit the life of crime."

Buffy looked at her for a few more moments before asking, "Is it gonna be too much to go back into it?"

Faith looked at her like she hadn't thought of that before, then caught herself and smiled, "Nah, it'll be fine. I got you there to keep me in line."

Buffy looked down at her plate and held her emotions in check, she looked back up at Faith, "We really need to talk about this, Faith."

"We are…"

"No, I mean really. Things could get ugly."

"But we're professionals. I mean, we'll be playing different roles than what we're used to, but it's not like we're actually together and so it can't ruin our relationship, right?"

Buffy felt a slight pit in her stomach, "Right. You're right. And are you gonna be okay with all the affection?"

"I thought we got passed that earlier tonight," Faith said as she licked her fork without realizing what she was doing. "I say bring it on, girlfriend. I don't think I can be surprised after the last few hours."

Buffy smirked, "Okay…"

"You're the expert on this girl on girl stuff though, B."

"Yeah right…"

"No, really, you are."

"You mean you never…"

"Not once…well me and Cara Afton kissed once, but that was on a dare, and her brother beat the shit out of me when he heard about it. Then there was this girl I thought I'd try it with…but it didn't work out."

Buffy looked mad, "Some guys beat a young girl up?"

"Don't worry, B. That fucker is doing life for killing his boyfriend."

"He was gay?"

"Closeted like a bitch and just went nuts one day, too bad the other guy caught the brunt of his rage."

"South Boston doesn't sound like a nice place to raise your children."

"And if I ever have any, I won't be. Not if it's the last fuckin' place on Earth. Boston proper wouldn't be so bad, but it's still a bitch if you're different."

"Well, it'll probably be years before you have to make that decision, right?"

"You ain't kiddin'. This womb isn't bearing anything for at least another ten years. You?"

"I don't know…I think I'd like to have at least one before I'm thirty."

Faith thought about it for a moment then said, "I can see that. You'd be a great mom, B."

"Is that a dig?"

"Nope, that's the stone cold truth. Your kids will be lucky to have a mom like you."

Buffy felt her stomach flutter, but before she got a chance to answer, Kennedy came into the room.

"How are my favorite ladies?"

Faith looked at her surprised, "Favorite ladies? What about Will?"

"She's my girl, Faith. Ya dummy." Kennedy winked. "Hey, you guys have any more Tiramisu? I'm starved!"

"Nuh uh, we haven't even started it, and we need it."

"All of it?"

Faith got up and went to the cooler, she opened it and scooped a portion of it out for Kennedy.

"I guess since you made it you get to have some, but you gotta bring us back something really good from a nice restaurant for breakfast."

"Deal!" Kennedy said as she dug into the dessert. "But uhhh…it might be brunch or even lunch time, ya know…after tonight."

"Oh yeah…" Faith said in a sultry voice. "Take your time then." She winked at Kennedy.

"Okay, I really have to get, thanks for the dessert!"

"No, Ken, thank _you_," Buffy said as she dipped a big spoon into the sumptuous delight.

Kennedy left with a veritable skip in her step and Buffy smiled at Faith as she put a big spoonful of Tiramisu into her mouth.

"You couldn't wait," Faith laughed.

"No way," Buffy said, muffled.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, B."

"Such a mom," Buffy scoffed.

"Ah shit…"

"What?"

"I was gonna ask Ken if I could borrow her Blockbuster card, I lost mine slayin' a Lothera demon a few weeks ago."

"They still have those?"

"Lothera demon? They're fuckin' multiplying like…"

"No, Faith, I know that, I meant Blockbuster."

"Oh yeah, there's one up on East Houston."

"Cool, but you don't need that."

"They let you rent without a card?"

"No, Will has this place hooked up."

"Figures. I shoulda just come here to watch movies."

"You know I'm curious about something, it seems like you're here a lot, but I don't know about it."

"Just a coincidence probably," Faith shrugged. "When I stop over they tell me you went off on some mission, I was beginning to think you were avoidin' me." She lied, she was definitely the one doing the avoiding because she thought Buffy wouldn't want to see her and it would be easier for everybody. She would then ask Willow and Kennedy not to tell Buffy she'd been there.

"Nope, I didn't even know you had been here, I guess the girls didn't want to tell me for some reason."

"Don't think they're tryin' to hide shit from you, B. Maybe it really didn't pop in their minds to tell you. I never stayed for more than a day or so." That was another lie, there was rarely a time that she stayed for less than a week.

"I'm not worried about it, I just think it's curious."

"Cool, so finish up you dessert and let's go get started on those movies."

"Oooh, I'll go make popcorn!" Buffy said, and dashed off.

"Sure, leave me to clean up. Typical." Faith laughed to herself after she said that. 'It's anything but typical. If this were a few years ago I'd be runnin' off to find a dude after slayin' a vamp or twelve and B would be left cleaning whatever mess I'd left.'

* * *

"Okay, so Will said just click on this…then the menu comes up and…yep that's right, type in the name of the movie…"

The screen in the room flickered to life and the movie started.

"Oooh, Paramount…" Buffy said, and Faith looked over at her.

"Are you one of those talkers?"

"What?"

"Talkers, through the movie…"

The screen went black and a man with an Italian accent started speaking. Buffy's eyes went back to the screen.

_"I believe in America,"_ His face appeared on screen. _"America has made my fortune and I've raised my daughter in the American fashion."_

"Who's that?" Buffy asked in a whisper. "Is that the Godfather?

"Answers that question," Faith rolled her eyes. "Would you just watch, B, you're missing important dialogue."

"Duh, we have a remote Faith. Why do you think they invented rewind?" Buffy shook the remote in her hand to illustrate her point.

"Well rewind it then!"

"Oh…someone's a bit testy tonight…"

"I'm gonna go get a drink," Faith sprang up from the bed and made her way to the door.

"Get me something too!"

"I'll make yours a double…maybe it'll shut your yap a little," Faith mumbled.

When she came back into the room with their drinks, Faith noticed Buffy had gotten into her pajamas and was under the covers.

"Made yourself comfortable, huh?"

"Well, in case I fall asleep during the movie," Buffy shrugged.

"Oh, you think it's gonna be boring, huh?"

"I didn't say that…"

"We'll see," Faith said as she retrieved her bag from the hallway. "I better get comfy too, don't want you havin' a sleep over all by yourself."

"Y-you're planning on sleeping here?"

"Why not? We're engaged, ain't we, doll?" Faith flashed her a brilliantly mischievous smile.

Buffy instinctively pulled up the covers a little more on her chest.

"Relax, B. I'm not about to take advantage of you. I figured we'd just get to know each other better. You're still a little jumpy around me, and to tell you the truth, I'm not that relaxed around you. If we go in there like that, Buffy, we'll be toast. Those people can smell rats like sharks smelling blood."

Buffy visibly relaxed and conceded, "You're right."

"Whoa, can I get that on a plaque?"

"Have I been that much of a bitch to you?"

"You know how we can't get along, but as of now, I'll stop pointing it out. Deal?"

Faith held out her hand to Buffy who looked at it for a moment, then shook it firmly.

"Deal."

"Okay, I'm gonna go get changed into my sleep shit, be right back."

Buffy imagined Faith in sweats and a tank, which was why her jaw dropped to almost the floor when Faith came out of the bathroom ten minutes later in a red satin cami and black satin boy short set. The cami was lined at the bodice with black lace and it barely covered her midriff. When Faith reached up to pin her hair in a bun, Buffy could see the definition of her abs.

"Okay, so now are we ready to do this?"

"Huh?" Buffy blinked.

"The movie, are you ready?"

Buffy still couldn't make her brain work, but instinctively knew Faith expected a response.

"Yes?"

"You sure?" Faith laughed and looked at Buffy for a few moments, then looked down at her outfit. "What? You expected somethin' different?"

"N-No…"

"Yeah right. Probably didn't think I like to wear nice things to bed."

"No, Faith…I just...I think…wait let me back up," Buffy sat up straight, set her shoulders and said confidently. "Wow, sweety, you look really good in that."

"You think?" Faith put on her best seductive smirk and Buffy suddenly felt like a deer in the headlights.

All she could do was nod as Faith walked slowly up to the front of the bed and smoothed her hand over the front of her cami.

"I feel overdressed…"

"Uhhh…what?" Buffy managed, when she unstuck her tongue from the roof of her mouth. "Underdressed? I-I feel underdressed."

Faith laughed and jumped up on the bed, playfully slapping Buffy's arm as she took her place next to her under the covers.

"You said underdressed twice, B."

"Did I?" Buffy said, bewildered.

"Yeah, okay, hush now. We're watching and learning."

"Okay," Buffy said with an air of professionalism as she sat up more in bed and reached for the fresh batch of popcorn she made while Faith was getting changed. She gulped hard and banished the thoughts of how good Faith looked in her outfit. She was a slayer, she could do this. She could stop lusting after Faith. Did she really just think that?

"Okay, here we go," Faith said and pressed a button on the remote. The movie started up again.

"Oh…it's like a marionette thing…"

"B…"

"Sorry…"

_"I believe in America," _The man with the Italian accent's face was back on the screen._ "America has made my fortune and I raised my daughter in the American fashion."_

Buffy stole some glances at Faith as the movie progressed, but mainly she was engrossed in the story. She couldn't believe she was liking it as much as she did. She was pulling for the bad guys and even laughing at some of the wittier dialogue. The only time she got really upset was when the movie producer woke up with his horse's head next to him in bed. Faith comforted her without sounding condescending and she didn't feel awkward about the arm Faith casually threw around her shoulders and kept there for a few minutes afterwards.

She was thoroughly engrossed in the movie when she noticed that Faith had sunk down into a comfortable position and was fast asleep.

'Who falls asleep during a movie like this?' Buffy thought with a shrug. She watched mesmerized as the rest of the film played out and finally ended. She looked down at Faith, 'I guess I should wake her up, it's still kind of early.'

"Faith? It's only like 5, Faith, wake up," She whispered and tried to shake her gently awake, but Faith seemed so content with hugging Buffy's pillow that she stopped trying to wrest it from her grasp. A thought occurred to her and she got off the bed to find her phone. Once found, she stepped out into the hallway and closed the door.

"Giles," She whispered.

"Buffy?"

"Yes, it's me…don't you have caller ID yet?"

"It's splendid to hear from you too, Buffy."

"It's wonderful to hear from you, Giles," Buffy put some sugar in her voice.

"How are things there? Are you and Faith getting along?"

"They're swell, and yes, we're bonding nicely."

"Anything I can do to help?"

"I just wanted to ask a question. A couple of weeks ago, when we spoke last, didn't you tell me you were worried that Faith wasn't sleeping properly?"

"Yes, unfortunately none of the medication prescribed by the doctors. I tried one as a control and it literally knocked me out for a day and a half. Has it continued there?"

"Right now she's snuggled up to my pillow," Buffy pushed the door ajar slightly and peered in. "And sawing logs like you wouldn't believe."

"Was Willow able to put together something as a sedative?"

"Nope, just the opposite, she gave us some stuff to help us stay awake."

"And Faith took it? My God, it could have kept her up for…well, who knows how long," He said, annoyed.

"I think I might know why she did that…" Buffy said almost to herself.

"Well please, see to it that she doesn't put herself in further jeopardy. Obviously, she shows no regard for herself."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure she stays in one piece."

"Good," Giles said with a smile. "I'll see you in a fortnight."

"English, Giles," Buffy teased.

He sighed, "Two weeks. I'm coming over to lend my support."

"With your girlfriend?"

"My…how did you?" Giles stuttered the next few words and then said, "No, I'll be traveling alone, thank you very much."

"Suit yourself," Buffy said with a smirk. "Bye Giles."

"Goodbye Buffy."

Buffy looked into the room again and was debating whether or not to go back in, she was certainly tired, but she was afraid of being so close to Faith. Especially when she was looking so good in her sleep wear. She started to close the door, but then remembered what Faith said about having to get comfortable with each other.

'I have to sleep in there for our lives,' Buffy said confidently to herself.

As she lay stiffly next to Faith, she surmised that saying and doing were two completely different things.

It was a couple of hours before she finally drifted off to a light sleep. Any time Faith moved or snored a little louder than she had been, Buffy woke up.

Finally she just lay there and listened to Faith sleep.

Buffy had gotten comfortable and was startled when she hear Faith's voice, "Hey, B…" She said, sleepily. "Did I really fall asleep?"

"For a couple of hours," Buffy whispered back.

"Did you sleep?"

"A little."

"Damn," Faith said, sitting up and stretching. "I haven't slept that good in a long time."

Buffy tried not to stare at the creamy skin of her stomach.

"Must be the…" Buffy couldn't think of anything and finally said. "East Coast air."

Faith shrugged, "Whatever it is, I hope it doesn't stop. Insomnia sucks."

"You missed the rest of the movie."

"Damn, B, I've seen it so much I could've done the dialogue for you."

"Well, when do we see the next one?"

"How about tomorrow? We need to read some more of those emails."

"Ugh."

Faith laughed at Buffy's petulance.

"You wanna spar a little, B?"

"Oh my God, I thought I'd never say this, but that sounds great!"

"I thought it might, you looked like you could use some action."

'You have no idea,' Buffy thought as she watched Faith jump up from the bed and go into the bathroom with some workout clothes. 'Please let those not be satin and revealing,' She wished as she went to her dresser and got out her sparring gear.

The next few days went the same. They would sleep in the same bed, Faith getting much more sleep and a better overall rest than Buffy, then they'd watch movies or TV shows that had a mafia theme and read the emails that were exchanged between Willow and Joseph. Before bed they sparred. Occasionally one of them would do something independent of the other, but that was rarely for long, and they were often together for almost the whole day.

Something was happening to Buffy during this time, she was becoming unglued. It's not that she resented being so close to Faith. In fact, it was just the opposite. In the almost two weeks they had been together, she realized that what she had shared with Satsu might not have been an experiment with her sexuality. The flutters her heart or stomach would give her when Faith would do something romantic, purely for the 'research' into their roles, made her realize that she might be love starved and looking for a feminine touch.

It had certainly been a long time since she had sex. The fact that that sex had been with a woman wasn't really lost on her either, although she tried not to think too much into that.

"Hey, B," Faith said, taking Buffy out of her thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"We're almost done with the last set of emails, can you believe that shit?"

"I know, isn't that…"

"About frickin' time!" Faith laughed. "We need to celebrate tonight. I'm takin' you out."

The flutter in Buffy's heart bubbled up.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Haven't thought about it properly yet, but will you help me do some Christmas shopping now?"

"Shopping? Yes!"

"Whoa, babe, slow down. It's just gonna be a couple of things, for Ken and Will. And Giles…and…"

"A few dozen other people?"

"Nope, just you."

"Me?"

"You," Faith said with a shy smile that had Buffy's stomach fluttering to match her heart.

"I have a couple of stores in mind…"

"Nothing too expensive, the Council still pays me scale."

Annoyed, Buffy wrinkled her nose, "Me too."

"Okay, so let's get this shit outta the way and we're free."

"For two whole days!"

"Sounds like heaven, don't it?"

"Like a huge slice."

"Hey, you're starting to sound like me."

"We're becoming close, Faith."

"Ain't that somethin', B?"

She looked at Faith for a few moments before finally answering, "It's pretty cool."

* * *

"Hey, G-man. Great to see you," Faith slapped Giles on the back and pulled him over to the side. "You okay?"

He finally got his breath back after that slap knocked the wind out of him to answer, "Never been better, Faith."

"Good, I worry. Hey, can I talk to you a little later?"

"Anything urgent?"

"Nah, just some follow up on a conversation we had a few weeks ago."

"Alright, as soon as I'm settled into my room, I'll come find you."

"Cool, I'll just go tell Buffy I'm gonna be unavailable for a few."

Giles smiled as he watched her leave the room. Never in a million years would he have believed his two veteran slayers would be as close as they seemed at the moment.

True to his word, Giles found Faith in the living room after he had finished unpacking.

"Hey, let's go for a walk," Faith said as she got up from the couch.

"Out in the…cold?"

"You spent too much time in California, G. 'Sides, what's a little cold to an Englishman?"

"It always seems so much colder here, though."

"Probably the buildings," Faith said as she got her coat and held Giles' out to him.

"That's a good deduction."

When they made it to the next block, far enough from the building for Faith's liking, she started talking.

"You remember that talk we had a few weeks back?"

"About your mother?"

"Well, yeah, that and that other thing?"

"The other thing?"

Faith closed her eyes, it wasn't going to be as easy as she thought.

"Yeah, that thing…"

"Faith you're going to have to expand a little on what 'that thing' is, I'm sorry, I'm not a mind reader, contrary to popular belief."

"If that's about the whole 'my face is a tell' thing, then stuff it, G. I'm talking about the Buffy thing."

"Oh…you mean when you confessed that your obsession with her back in Sunnydale might have been more than just wanting to fit in with her and her friends?"

"Giles, stop trying to pussy foot around the shit. I told you I might have feelings for her," Faith said with a nervous gesture of her hand.

"Quite right."

"Well, since we've been gettin' really close, I've come to more of an…an answer."

"Which is?"

"Don't get me wrong, I like Buffy, I think she's a great girl, especially now that we're not trying to kill each other, but I don't think what I felt was love."

"You mean you're sure you're not in love with her?"

"I'm pretty sure. I mean we've had some great times, and I think she's an awesome person, but I think I'm over her."

Giles looked impressed, "I must say, this is turning out better than I could have hoped for."

"Why 'cause you're finding out that not all of your top slayers are dykes?"

"Surely you're not serious that I would have an issue with any of the slayers being lesbian?"

"I might not be serious, but I sure as hell ain't Shirley," She said, the irreverence thick in her voice.

Giles closed his eyes briefly, he had walked right into that one.

"I see you're in high spirits," He said with a grin.

"Pretty frickin' high," Faith smiled back at him. "Except for knowin' we're about to go into a situation in which we might not come out alive…"

"Isn't that your lives every night?"

"Douché"

"That's 'touché'," He corrected.

"You say it your way and I'll say it mine. Touchebag," Faith smiled broadly.

"You live to give me an ulcer," He said with a sigh.

"Pretty much."

"And you're okay with your revelation?"

"About not being in love with Buffy?"

"Yes."

"I guess I am," Faith shrugged. "I mean, like I said, I think she's an awesome person and I'm glad we got to spend time like this. I just don't know if I'd want to fuck her, ya know?"

Giles cringed slightly at Faith's bluntness, but he wasn't surprised by it.

"I think I do know," His real judgment he would reserve until he had more facts.

"Okay, well, let's pick up some ice cream."

"Ice cream at this temperature?" His voice rising two octaves.

"B loves her some cookies and cream and I'd like to do something nice for her. She's been wound so tight lately I can't get her to relax."

"Have you been slaying?"

"We've killed more vamps in two weeks than in the whole six months we were in Sunnydale together. Well, she kills most of 'em. The girl is a fuckin' machine lately."

"I'll have a talk with her."

"I don't think a talk's gonna work, G. I think she needs some quality time ridin' the baloney pony."

Giles closed his eyes briefly again, "Can you refrain from saying things like that in my presence?"

"Trouser sausage?" Faith said with an innocent grin and followed him into the ice cream store.

* * *

"Buffy, whatta ya say we go out to another club tonight?"

Buffy's eyes lit up, "The one we went to when you first got here?"

"Nah, a different one. Ya know, like with girls _and_ boys."

Buffy was a bit disappointed since she had such a good time with Faith at the other club, but since Faith would still be in the equation she didn't protest.

"I guess that would be okay…"

"Cool, I'll pick you up at eight," Faith winked and went into the bathroom to take a shower. They had just had an epic sparring session and worked up quite a sweat.

Buffy was left to lie on the bed and think about the last couple of weeks and why she was feeling like something was about to snap inside of her. She had only hoped it wouldn't be something to spark a huge fight between her and Faith. Things were going very well between them and they were about to go undercover in a couple of days for their first meeting with Joseph. She perked up when she thought about going out with Faith tonight, she felt like it would be just what she needed.

"Shower's all yours, girlfriend. I'm gonna go down and go over some of our plans for the meeting. I'll fill you in when you're done."

"I'll be down in a bit."

"Take your time," Faith smiled at her warmly. 'Hopefully you'll be able to scratch that itch finally.'

Faith knew that lack of sex was what was making Buffy slightly nutty and irritable. She even had gone out without her one night just so that she could give her some space. And even though she didn't really go anywhere, sitting at a café and people watching, she caught hell when she got home after slaying because she hadn't taken Buffy with her.

She even tried to sleep in another room, so Buffy could maybe rediscover herself, but Buffy wouldn't hear of it. After a few days she couldn't be bothered fighting with her anymore, her own sleep was finally back to normal and she figured if that had anything to do with Buffy then she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Tonight might change things though, she invited a few friends she knew in the city to meet them at the club. One was a really cute guy, totally Buffy's type with whom she had hoped Buffy could find the fun a little and maybe get laid. She knew Buffy wasn't one to have sex casually, but she also knew how desperately she needed it and Jason was a clean and discreet guy.

Faith felt a pair of arms surround her and she relaxed back into them.

"Hey, B, you're done with your shower already?"

"Uh oh, Houston we have a problem."

"Ken?" Faith turned around.

"You can't tell your girl from me? That's a huge problem, Faith."

"First of all, Kennedy, she's not my girl. And secondly, fuck it, no I can't."

"Probably 'cause we're both slayers, but you definitely have to figure out how to tell Buffy from others. We'll work on that later."

"Can't we're going to a club."

"Club? And you didn't invite us?"

"Didn't think you'd dig it, it's a straight club."

"Faith, do we have 'exclusionist lesbians' tattooed on our forehead?"

"No, but whenever I bring up dick you and Will look like I just took a dump in front of you."

"Ew, gross…"

"I'm just sayin', I didn't think you'd like to go. But I shouldn't think like that 'cause fuck knows I let you drag me to wherever you guys want to go."

"This is true. Hey, speaking of that, you and Kari ever hooked up?"

"No, man, I couldn't bring myself to do it."

"Too icky for you?"

"Icky? What the fuck? You've been hangin' around Buffy and Willow too much," Faith chuckled. "No, it wasn't too _icky_, I just…"

"She wasn't Buffy, huh?" Kennedy said with a knowing smile.

"No, she wasn't. Hey wait, how did you figure that out? I never said anything to you."

"Despite what you think, I'm pretty intuitive. Besides, Kari looked like Buffy Junior."

"Ken…I think I'm over that."

"Over what? Trying to replace Buffy?"

"No, well yeah, I mean…I think I'm over the whole thing. Namely Buffy."

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, I've been around her, we've been close… and I don't want to bang her…"

Kennedy laughed, "Is that all you think love is? Wanting to bang someone?"

Faith kept talking as if she hadn't heard her, "I mean, we're cool with each other, and that's all that matters."

"That's definitely nice to hear. But I think you might've hit a snag."

"What snag?"

"I think Buffy's into you, dude."

"What?" Faith looked at Kennedy like she was out of her mind. "What makes you think that? 'Cause we're not trying to kill each other? Or the touchy-feely thing? You know that's just part of getting ready for what we're about to do, right?"

"Yeah, I do. But I also see Buffy when you've just walked into the room, and when you walk out. I also hear her talk to Will non-stop about how good you guys are together lately."

Faith looked puzzled at Kennedy who continued, "You don't see it?"

"No, I don't see it. And don't try to make up some shit that's not there. I'm hoping after all this is over that we can actually be real friends this time."

Kennedy didn't want to make Faith mad, so she backed down.

"So what's with the straight club?"

"I'm hoping Buffy will be into Jason and she can finally get laid."

"Oh yeah, she needs it. But you know her, she doesn't just fall into bed with _anyone_."

"I don't know, K. But she needs to do something. She's wound so fuckin' tight it might make her nutty. We can't afford to go in there with a handicap like that."

"Ain't that the truth…" Kennedy was going to suggest Faith help her out with that, but again, she didn't want to make her mad. "Well, if you want some company to help, I'm in. I'm sure Will wouldn't mind a night out."

Faith's eyes brightened, "That actually might work," She said as she opened some of the materials she had come down to the war room to study. "You just tell Will to talk Jason up. Okay?"

"Sure, we'll see how that goes over."

"Cool, thanks Ken!"

"No problem, Faith." Kennedy looked back at Faith before she left the room. 'You keep deluding yourself, Buddy.' She thought shaking her head as she left the room.

Faith had been reading for an hour before she realized that Buffy never joined her, she was thinking she finally got some quality alone time, so she wasn't really upset that she was shirking her duties. Before leaving the table, she made some notes on her wPad and then closed it down.

'Almost eight, I better get goin'. I told Buffy to be ready by then.' Faith thought.

She went up to their room and thought twice before just bursting in, instead she decided to knock. After a few moments, as she was about to walk away figuring Buffy did actually manage to find the fun with herself, a decidedly disheveled and frustrated looking Buffy opened the door.

"B…hey…uh…are you okay?"

"Fine!"

"Hey, what happened?"

"Nothing!" She realized she was shouting. "I mean…heh…nothing happened, not a thing."

'Fuckin' shame,' Faith thought, then asked, "You want to just stay in tonight?"

"No! No…I _really_ want to go out tonight, Faith. Can we just go out?"

"Sure, babe…I mean, B."

"Hey, we said no correcting ourselves if we slip up, we have to be natural, Faith."

"You sure you're alright? Not coming down with anything are you?"

"No…it's…nothing. I'll be okay."

'Jason better work his magic tonight, she's so backed up it's heartbreakin'.' Faith thought as she picked out an outfit from the closet. "Oh, I forgot to tell you, Giles is over in Jersey looking for our place."

"That sounds nice," Buffy said, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice. She didn't want to take the fact that she couldn't climax out on Faith. Thinking the words 'Climax' and 'Faith' in the same sentence gave her pussy a throb and she had to sit down for a minute. Things were getting complicated.

Faith held up a shirt to Buffy, "How's…hey, you sure you're okay? I mean really, B. We don't have to do this tonight if…"

"No, Faith, for the last time…I'm fine!"

"Whoa, girl, take it down a step or twelve. I'm just makin' sure."

"I know you are…and I don't know why I'm being like this…I just think maybe if I go out and relax I'll…relax."

"I hear that, I think tonight's gonna be great. You like this top?"

"With those jeans?"

"No, I thought of wearing these black pants…you think they're gonna be too thin?"

"Maybe if we were walking around in the city, but we'll take a cab there and back right?"

"Right. Hey, I kinda invited Will and Ken…" Faith waited for Buffy's response, she couldn't tell at the moment what would upset her.

"That's nice," Buffy smiled at her. "They'll like getting out and partying."

"Figured they could use some airin' out. They've been partying in their room with each other so much they might go blind."

Buffy laughed, "I think you can only go blind if you party with yourself a lot…" She mumbled the next part. "Not that I would know anything about that…"

"Okay," Faith said as she bent down and picked up her heels.

Buffy felt a pull in her stomach when she caught sight of some skin peeking out from Faith's top.

Faith continued, "I'll get dressed in the other room. Give you time to get ready. Have you even showered yet?"

"No," Buffy said disappointed. "I better get in there now."

"Good, I'll be downstairs when you're ready."

Buffy looked at the door after Faith shut it. '_Really_ complicated.' Buffy thought with a sigh and moved towards the bathroom.

* * *

Willow and Kennedy joined Faith in the living room, they accepted the drinks she had made with smiles.

Faith held up her glass and proposed a toast, "Salute."

"Salute," The girls rejoined.

"Operation get Buffy laid in effect," Faith said before downing her drink.

Willow who was in mid gulp started to cough and Kennedy had to pat her on the back.

When she finally caught her breath she said, "You didn't tell me this was about…"

"It's not really…" Kennedy started to say.

"No, Will, it's not all about that, I just figured you and Kennedy could help Buffy to…"

"What? Uncork her bottle?" Willow asked, taking a sip of water that Kennedy had held out to her.

"Yeah, Jesus, I've never seen anyone wound so fucking tight. If she doesn't get laid soon, Will, she's gonna pop, and not in a good way."

"Faith, you don't know what she needs."

"No? I've got two eyes, and one thing I do know is how to read if someone wants it."

"Well maybe she doesn't 'want it' from some big hunky guy…"

"We'll see about that…" Faith's eye was caught by someone coming down the stairs. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized it was Buffy, dressed to kill. Her hair was softly corkscrewed and her makeup was flawless. She let out a low whistle and Buffy smiled blushingly.

"You like?" She stopped her progress on the steps and gave a half twirl. Her blood red cami-top twirled a little, and the black skirt she was wearing twirled the opposite way.

"That's fuckin' killer, B," Faith said, and then smirked at her own joke. 'Jason's not gonna know what hit him.' Faith thought, her smirk deepening.

"Wow, Buff," Willow said with a gulp.

"I figured if we were going out on the town to do it right."

"Fuckin' A," Faith agreed as she held out a drink to Buffy who was making her way towards the group. "Can't argue with reason. But ya know, when we're undercover you can't be so smart." She winked at Willow who hung her head slightly.

"She's kidding, honey," Kennedy whispered and pushed Willow's forearm.

Willow's pout only deepened.

"Oooh, what's this?" Buffy asked taking a sip of the festive looking drink.

"Chocolate peppermint cookie," Faith said proudly. She had found it on a website called and thought it would be perfect for Buffy.

"Oh. My. God. It's like heaven in a martini glass," Buffy said, taking a bigger sip.

"Whoa, Buff, shouldn't you take it a little slower?"

"Red, leave her be…" Faith thought it might be good to get Buffy a little drunk, that way she'd be looser at the club. She'd just make sure she wasn't overdoing it. "Slayers can't get drunk that fast."

"That Slayer can," Willow said under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," Willow backed down.

"Okay, a couple more here, and then we're off to the club. My friends are meetin' us there for nine."

"Friends?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah, a couple people I saved while slayin' and some of their friends. This one guy Jason…"

"You saved their lives?" Buffy asked with a glint in her eye.

Kennedy's discreetly did an eye-roll as Faith tried to get the subject back to Jason.

"Yeah, I was walkin' back from the club and a pack of vamps were trying to make this couple their dinner."

"And I bet you acted like you didn't see them until you were right up on 'em," Buffy said with a smile as she held out her glass for another drink.

Faith poured her another from a small pitcher she had of the sweet concoction.

"Yeah, that's what I did…" She was a bit surprised that Buffy knew exactly how she handled that particular situation.

"And did you pretend to be helpless and then take their heads off?"

"Well, I had two stakes with me, so I," Faith paused, Buffy's rapt attention was taking her slightly by surprise, she never really got that from Buffy when she told a slaying story before. "I waited until they got close, and then like you said, they didn't know what hit 'em. Jason was holding his own with one of the vamps…but he was starting to tire…not that he wasn't strong…" Faith realized she was emasculating Jason even before Buffy got to meet him. "He was real brave though, punched one of the fuckers and broke all his knuckles."

"And I'll bet you didn't get a scratch," Buffy said, her eyes shining proudly as she took another sip. "Mmmm, baby, this is soooo good."

Faith's heart skipped another beat and she turned to Kennedy who was trying to conceal a smile.

"Shouldn't we be going?" Willow said worriedly after looking at her watch.

"Nice outfit, Will, I just noticed the red leather pants," Buffy said, impressed.

"Ken gave them to me on the seventh night of Hanukkah."

"On the seventh night of Hanukkah…" Buffy sang, remembering Faith's parody when they were at the diner, after the mock proposal.

Faith sang the next line, "My true love gave to me…"

"Red leather ass pants…"

"_Ass_ pants?" Faith burst out with laughter and Buffy realized what she had said.

Willow and Kennedy couldn't help but laugh at that, even though they knew they were witnessing a troublesome situation. Faith was not going to be happy with the outcome of trying to set Buffy up with Jason.

Buffy hiccupped all the way to the cab, leaning on Faith.

"You're that drunk already?" Kennedy asked.

"No, I'm cold, and Faith is so warm," She snuggled in closer.

"What can I say," Faith said with a smirk. "I'm hot blooded."

"Isn't that a song?" Buffy asked.

"Please don't start singing again, Buffy," Willow worried about her friend throwing up in the cab if had another laughing fit.

"Party pooper," A tipsy Buffy said with a pout.

* * *

Faith's smile on hearing a very dirty joke from Kennedy faded as she saw Jason looking dejected on the couch.

"Wait up a sec, will ya, K?"

"Sure…"

"Be right back…" Faith said, still looking curiously in Jason's direction as she left Kennedy at the bar.

"Hey, Jace, what's up?"

"Nothing, Faith."

"Where's Buffy?"

"Dancing I guess."

"Without you?"

"I don't think she's that into me," He shrugged.

"What? Bullshit!" She said and pushed Jason's shoulder. "What's not to like? You're tall, dark, handsome…"

"And a guy."

Faith looked puzzled at that comment and asked, "So?"

"So…" He pointed to the dance floor with his drink.

"Holy shit," Faith's eyes widened and whatever buzz she had going on went away really fast as she saw Buffy trying to touch her female dance partner's lungs with her tongue. "The fuck?"

"I think your friend is a lesbian…"

Faith didn't answer him and walked straight up to Buffy and her new brunette friend.

"Buffy!"

"Faith!" Buffy threw her arms around Faith and tried to pull her lips down to hers. Faith resisted with all her might. After struggling a couple more times to get Faith to kiss her, Buffy pulled back and looked her in the eyes, "You don't like how I kiss?"

"I do, sweet lips," Buffy's friend slurred and started to go in to kiss Buffy.

Faith pushed her back with the hand she had been using to fend off Buffy's advances. "Back off my fuckin' woman, bitch."

"Hey…she didn't tell me she was with…"

"Oooh, Faithy, am I really your woman?"

"Buffy, you're drunk…let's get you home."

Faith pulled Buffy along and noticed something sparkle on her forearm.

"Oh fuck no, that's fucking why…B did you take something before we came here?"

"Just that stuff Willow gave us…I wanted to perk up."

Faith rolled her eyes and continued to pull Buffy along with her, "Don't you realize that shit is like X to us?"

"So?"

"So? Look at your date, that's _so_," Faith gestured to where Jason was sitting, only this time instead of looking dejected he was talking to some hottie who was looking like she wanted him to take her home.

"My date? What date?" Buffy said, she stopped and pulled her arm out of Faith's grasp. She put her hand on her hips and tried to look where Faith had gestured but her eyes wouldn't focus properly.

"It's nothin', B. Let's just go."

"No, Faith, I'm not going anywhere until I find out what you're talking about. What date?"

"I don't know, Buffy, I thought maybe you could get to know Jason better."

"For what?"

"For fun…"

"What kinda fun?"

Faith was caught and she didn't know what to do. If she lied to Buffy she'd see right through it, but if she told the truth she could get really mad and she didn't need a pissed off Buffy to go along with the sexually frustrated Buffy she was going to be going undercover with.

"I just thought he was your type and…"

"And I'd find the fun with him?"

"Kinda, yeah."

"Faith, he's cute," Buffy looked over at him. "But he's also leaving with that girl."

Faith saw Jason starting to leave, then he looked up and caught her eye, he waved goodbye and gave Faith a thumbs up after pointing at his new date.

She held her hand up to him with an 'okay' symbol.

He then gestured that he would call her and out into the night he went.

Before she even looked back at Buffy she could feel her eyes boring a hole into her skull.

"Why do you think I need to find the fun with him?"

Faith sighed, "Well I sure as shit didn't think you'd be finding the fun with _her_." She pointed to Buffy's dance partner that was now at the bar knocking back shot after shot.

Buffy's eyes narrowed, "I thought she looked like…"

"What?"

"Nothing…like that woman from the L word."

"Which one?"

"You watched that?"

"Did you?"

"Yeah, I did, why not?"

"No reason," Faith shrugged. "Can we just go?"

"Gladly," Buffy pushed passed her and Faith knew she was in for a hellish two days, and a mission that was going to be doomed from the start.

* * *

"Buffy, I didn't help her try to set you up…"

"I know, Will, I just thought her and I…"

"Hey, it's she and I…"

"Oh my God, I can't believe you're correcting my grammar when I'm in crisis mode."

"Buffy, I'm sorry." Willow looked contrite. "I suggest you just go talk to her. You need to be strong couple-y, not broken couple-y."

Buffy sighed and got off Willow and Kennedy's bed.

"If we fight, don't come and break it up, it'll be good for us to get it out…" She said with a heavy heart as she left the room.

"Oh boy," Willow said when the door was shut.

* * *

"Faith?" Buffy whispered to the solitary form on the bed. "Faith are you up?"

Faith mumbled something and rolled over with her back to Buffy.

"Figures," Buffy said. "I can't even get a good fight out of you."

Faith opened one eye at that, she was pretending to be asleep. She closed it when she felt the bed depress and Buffy hovering over her shoulder.

"Oh well, at least one of us will get a decent sleep tonight. _Again_."

The worry in Buffy's voice made Faith's heart clench with concern. She was Buffy's friend, she didn't want to fight with her, and she knew exactly what she needed.

Buffy went off to the bathroom and brushed her teeth, she left her skirt and cami on the cold tiled floor. She didn't think it was the lucky charm it would be after all.

As she got in bed she felt an arm reach out and pull her close.

"F-Faith?"

"Shut up, B."

"But what…"

Faith covered Buffy's mouth with her own in a hot wet kiss that had Buffy moaning before her brain even registered what was happening.

"Oh. My. God," Buffy breathed when Faith ended the kiss. They took gulps of air and immediately went back to kissing each other. Buffy laid back on the bed as Faith moved to the side of her, their mouths never once lost contact with each other.

Again, Buffy moaned out when she felt Faith's hand tracing the band of her panties.

She pulled back from the kiss slightly and whispered, "Please, Faith…"

It was a plea she had heard a dozen times before from guys who wanted her to touch them after she had gotten them hot and bothered with teasing and kissing about a half an hour after they met. This plea though was different, this one meant something to the person making it, and she couldn't deny that knowledge.

She also knew that while making their lives a whole lot more complicated, their mission would go smoother, and Faith was all about smooth missions these days.

Throwing caution to the wind she plunged her hand under Buffy's waistband, and got right down to business by cupping her pussy. Buffy's hips bucked up into her hand and dictated the rhythm she needed. Faith never a slow learner when it came to sex, took over that rhythm and added her own. It was a move that she used on herself when she needed to come hard and fast. She marveled at the noises Buffy was making, she never thought of her as being a loud girl in bed.

'All my Buffy stereotypes are bein' shattered lately,' Faith thought.

"Oh, God, Faith right there…yes, that's it, oh don't stop, don't fucking stop, please…"

Besides Buffy's talkativeness in bed, Faith was enthralled by the heat and wetness she felt from her, not to mention the fact that her fingers seemed to be sucked in so that two of her fingers were buried deep in Buffy's pussy while the heel of her hand gave her clit the pressure it needed.

"Damn, girl…" Faith breathed.

She could see Buffy's hand moving on her chest and she realized that she was pinching her own nipple under her bra.

'Yeah, that gets me there faster too,' Faith thought with a smirk, then used her unoccupied hand to pop open Buffy's bra. Buffy gasped from the feeling of the cool air on her naked breasts. Faith waited a moment or two for Buffy to protest. When one didn't come, she lowered her mouth to the nipple Buffy had previously been pinching.

"Oh, FUCK YES! That's…IT," Buffy's body stiffened, then the coil finally snapped. "FAITH!" She cried out as her whole body convulsed into Faith, bucking her mouth off her nipple and grasping her wrist with her hands. She fucked herself into Faith's fingers like this for several more moments before becoming spent and collapsing back onto the pillow.

After a few more sigh filled moments, Buffy pulled Faith's face to her and whispered, "Thank you…" She then gave her a wet, sleepy kiss before closing her eyes and basking in the afterglow of her first monster orgasm…ever. She had had good orgasms before, but she certainly couldn't think of any that topped this one. As she tried to think of one, she felt the pull of sleep tighten its grip around her. Her breathing evened out and before she knew it she was out like a light.

Faith, who witnessed this with a consternation that gave way to mirth, lay back on the bed, looking curiously at the hand that had just been in Buffy's pussy. It was sparkling.

'I thought I imagined that the glitter shit came out in my pee, but I guess the sparkles get into your body fluids.' She shrugged.

Hearing a light snore come from Buffy, she looked over at her.

"Figures," She said out loud as she saw Buffy roll over, turning her back to her. "…she'd be the guy in this relationship."

Faith laughed out loud and Buffy again turned over, surprising Faith by snuggling up to her.

"No, B…I gotta…"

"Mmm, baby?" Buffy said sleepily.

"I gotta go wash up…"

"Hmm?"

Faith held up her hand for Buffy to see.

"See? Sparkles."

"Mmm, pretty," Buffy said, not really comprehending what Faith was showing her.

"I'll be right back."

"'Kay, but come back…keep me warm…"

"Yes, your Buffiness," Faith laughed to herself as she made her way to the bathroom.

Once in there she stepped over Buffy's clothes and went to the sink. She tried to avoid her look in the mirror but she couldn't.

"What the fuck did I just do?"

'You fucked a friend to help 'em out.' Her inner voice said.

She soaped her hands and scrubbed them like a doctor would before surgery.

"You better know what you're fucking doin', Lehane."

'Who the fuck you think you're dealin' with?' Her inner voice shot back.

"A dumbass…" She said as she toweled her hands dry and then proceeded to pick up Buffy's discarded outfit to hang it over the rack in the bathroom. "A dumbass who misjudges Buffy Summers like you wouldn't believe."

Once back to bed, she slipped under the covers and Buffy again snuggled up to her.

"Ooh, you're chilly," She said, her voice was still sleepy but not as bad as before Faith went off to the bathroom. "Let me warm you up." She tightened her arms around her.

"Thanks, B…"

"No, thank _you_, Faith," Buffy said and placed a kiss on the side of her cheek. "You have no idea…"

'No, apparently, I don't,' Faith thought as she listened to Buffy's breathing even out and then finally drifted off to sleep with her.


	4. Don't Mention It

Author's notes: This one is still for Gina. I'm just a few months late, who cares? So what? ;) Don't adjust your screens it's an update. I'm sorry I've been MIA lately. It's not for a lack of wanting to write, I assure you.

Buffy was the first to wake in the morning. She wasn't the least bit surprised or weirded out by Faith using her as a body pillow. She just hoped Faith would be cool with what had transpired between them the night before and even if she wasn't, Buffy had resolved herself to not be upset about it. She didn't want to mess up their duties or their mission.

And, most of all, hopefully not their progress as friends.

Before Faith could get up and give her guilty looks, she decided to go and take a shower in the communal bathroom on their floor and then start her day, by making a big breakfast for the gang.

Faith woke up when she heard the door to Buffy's room close.

'Damn,' She thought as the realization of what she had done last night set in. 'At least she's not in bed right now. That would be fuckin' weird. I better get up and go shower. Figure out what the fuck to do.'

Faith jumped up and made a beeline for the bathroom. While showering, she did a lot of thinking and decided not to hide from anyone, namely Buffy, and just act like things were copacetic.

After she was finished, she dressed and quickly made her way downstairs.

Before she reached the stairs, she was startled by a worried looking Kennedy pulling her by the arm into the room she shared with Willow.

"What's up, Ken?" She asked, slightly annoyed.

"What's up? What's _up_?" She said, incredulously. "What's up is the fact that Will and I were scared shitless about you setting Buffy up with Jason, and you just took her home and fucked her anyway. Why'd you put us through that shit?"

"Jesus, Kennedy. Hold the fuck up. First, get your paw off me, and second, I didn't plan what happened between me and Buffy, it just did."

"So what, you two are a _real_ couple now?"

"What? No! I just helped her out."

"Oh Holy fuck, we're all doomed…"

"Kennedy, I'm not gonna say this again, calm the fuck down, no one's doomed. We go on with the mission as planned, but with a rested and sexually satisfied Buffy. Not one that's tweaked the fuck out 'cause she can't climax on her own."

Kennedy looked puzzled, "She couldn't…"

"Hey, I don't think she'd dig us discussing her sex life like this, but since you look like you need an answer or your head's gonna explode: No, she couldn't get herself off. Okay, warden?"

"Faith, I didn't mean it like that. I just…I want to make sure…"

"That I'm not fucking around with the Golden Girl's head. I got that. We were in bed, she looked desperate, I kissed the shit out of her, she asked me, and I obliged. Okay?"

"Okay," Kennedy said after her brain processed the imagery.

"Stop imagining it, _perv_," Faith said as she left Kennedy standing there stunned and went downstairs.

Willow and Buffy were making breakfast in the kitchen and when Faith walked in it was obvious they had just been talking about something she wasn't supposed to hear.

"H-hey, Faith, how's…how are…good morning!" Willow greeted, finally.

Faith smiled at her brilliantly, "Mornin', Red. You have a good sleep?"

"Eventually…I mean yes, it was great."

"Mornin' B, how're those pancakes coming?"

"They're almost ready. We couldn't decide on sausage, bacon or ham, so we made all three."

"Plus the turkey varieties of each," Willow added.

"Turkey-ham?" Faith asked puzzled then shrugged. "Sounds great, I'm starved." Faith looked at the food they had on platters on the counter already made. She laughed, "Looks like you couldn't decide on waffles, French toast, or pancakes either."

"Nope!" Willow said, a little too cheery. "Hope you've worked up a killer appetite."

Faith smirked, "I wouldn't say 'killer', Will. A little 'assault and batterer' maybe…"

Willow looked worried as she tried to figure out what the joke was, she thought maybe Faith would have taken 'killer' as a crack on her past. She laughed really loudly when she finally got the joke.

"Oh, Faith, that's _priceless_! Gee, you sure are funny."

Faith passed Buffy to get to the refrigerator and whispered, "She have a few mimosas this morning?"

Buffy laughed and shook her head no and said, "But if you want some, I think we have a nice bottle of champagne somewhere."

"Oh my God, how good would that be?" Faith asked.

"Too good, wait until the food is ready for that though, we don't want to get too tipsy before eating."

Faith wiggled her eyebrows at Buffy, "Yeah, things could get outta _hand_…"

The last word's meaning wasn't lost on Buffy, and she gave Faith a smirk of her own.

"I know that was supposed to have a double meaning, but I just can't put my _finger_ on why…"

"Ooooh, good one, B," Faith laughed as she poured herself a glass of orange juice. "You guys need any help?"

"Uhhh," Willow was still a little worried about their banter with each other but finally recovered. "Just taking it out to the dining room. Oh, and could you go tell Giles it's ready? He's in the library."

"Where else would he be?" Faith shrugged. "I'll take the starches out and then get him."

"Sounds good," Willow said, trying to be nonchalant, but looking at Buffy pointedly.

Once Faith left the room she said to Buffy, "I can't believe you're being calm about this, Buffy."

"How do you want me to be?"

The kitchen door swung open and Faith said, "Need my juice."

Willow turned around to the sink like she'd seen her naked.

Buffy shrugged when Faith looked at her questioningly as she picked up her glass.

No words were exchange between them, but before Faith left she turned to Willow who was still at the sink, "Red, I'm leavin' now, don't worry, I'll knock when I come back for the other stuff." She didn't wait for an answer and left the room.

"Way to be cool about things, Will," Buffy said, dismissively.

Willow turned on her heel. "I'm sorry, Buffy! I just, I can't believe this is actually happening…did we cross into some alternate universe?"

"What? I thought you'd be happy. It seems from all those emails you sent Joe that you'd want me and Faith to be together."

"But Buffy, that was…that was a fictional relationship…I didn't think…"

"You didn't think I'd be into Faith."

Willow swallowed, "Are you?"

"You still don't believe me after all I've been talking to you about this morning?"

Buffy stopped plating the last of the pancakes, and just looked at Willow.

"Forget it, Will."

"No, Buffy. Please, I just want to understand."

"What's to understand? I like her, I know it seems weird…"

"You tried to kill each other."

"Kiss or kill…"

"It's that second option that's giving me the wigs."

"Oh, so this is about thinking Faith might go crazy if I try to have a relationship with her?"

"No, I know she's changed a lot, we've been happy to have her here…"

"Yeah, about that…"

"Now, Buffy, we didn't mean to keep that from you."

"I just wonder why you did."

Willow sighed and said, "Buffy, you're gonna not mess with her head right?"

"I promise," Buffy said and crossed her heart.

"Okay, so get the pancakes off of the griddle, and let's get the rest of this stuff to the table."

"Are you okay with that?"

* * *

Giles looked as though someone had punched him in the stomach.

"I-I…," He stopped, then started again. "I-I…I…"

"Ay-yi-yi, Giles, I didn't tell you so it would fry your circuit board," She went over to him and patted him on the back.

"N-no…I…I…"

"Here they come again," She rolled her eyes.

Giles coughed and cleared his throat.

"What's the matter? You're not cool with the girl on girl? Or because it's with Buffy?"

"Well, I would have appreciated if it weren't told to me in such detail…"

"I'm sorry, but you said we should talk to each other frankly about shit. 'Sides, I don't have your ability to talk around the meat of the issue."

"Tact is not 'talking around the meat of an issue', and yes, if you must know, I'm a little stunned because it's Buffy."

"Because I got a piece of the Golden Girl, right? Took another chink out of her perfect armor?"

"No, Faith, and I'll thank you not to talk to me like I haven't known you and been your closest confidant for the better part of two years now," Giles took off his glasses to clean them.

"I don't know, sometimes it still feels like you don't want me to dirty her up."

He stopped cleaning his glasses and looked at her.

"Buffy is not my responsibility anymore, Faith. You know as well as I do that I'm not privy to who gets to 'dirty her up' as you say, and she's her own woman. Besides," He looked at her incredulously, "Do you not recall telling me you were over her just a few days ago? And what does this latest revelation mean for you?"

"I know what I said, and nothing's changed. We're still just friends."

"Have you talked to her about that?"

"No, but I don't need to, she feels the same."

"How do you know that?"

Faith shrugged and looked like he had grown an extra head when asking that question, "What's to know? She doesn't like me like that, she just needed help. It was a friend helping out a friend."

Giles narrowed his eyes and was about to say something but thought better of it.

"What?"

"I suggest you talk to her, if not to establish what this means for her, but to establish boundaries and what it means for the mission if your relationship should become something more."

"What like, if we become fuck buddies? Hmm, hadn't thought of that…"

Giles closed his eyes, "I meant should you become embroiled in a romantic relationship."

"See? There you go flowerin' shit up to make it not smell so bad. And you must _not_ know Buffy anymore, old guy. She needed me to hit it so she could sleep."

"Very well, you seem to have it all figured out, Faith."

"Good, I'm glad you finally see that."

"I just have one request."

"Hit me with it."

"If she does tell you she loves you…"

Faith started laughing and Giles had to wait until she got a hold of herself again.

"Are you quite finished?" He said when it looked like she was stopping.

"Are you out of your frickin' mind?"

"Is it so unbelievable to think that Buffy would have feelings for you?"

Faith put her arms out to her sides and looked at him with a disbelieving smile.

"As absurd as it may seem given your past history with each other, when you're dealing with Buffy and her feelings, love is a definite possibility. Although, I can see why you're skeptical." He put back on his glasses and leaned forward on the desk. "I just hope you both know what you're doing."

"We're not kids anymore, Giles." Faith flounced to the door like she didn't have a care in the world. "Like I said, if she needs help once in a while, ya know…if she's backed up, I'm cool with that, but I doubt she'll go for an arrangement like that."

"The fact that you'd want to be in an arrangement like that… which I find most curious since you couldn't do that with the girl you told me about, Kari—"

Faith held her hand up to cut him off, "Man, I didn't even think you listened half the time. Giles, don't read into this shit. Hey, I'm gonna go eat before Kennedy and Buffy tear it up."

"Faith?" Giles asked, stopping her from leaving.

She sighed and hung her head but didn't turn around, "Yeah?"

"You're worthy of her love."

She didn't say anything, but Giles noticed that she stood a little straighter as she opened the door to the library and walked out of it.

* * *

"Hands off the end of the bacon!" Faith said as she walked up to the table. She was pointing at Kennedy who stopped her fork's progress into the juicy end piece.

"Here, Faith, have mine, it's the other end," Buffy said, offering the meat on her plate.

"Nah, B…"

"Faith take it, I took too much anyway. Is Giles coming?"

"He's busy makin' those books look interestin'."

"What?"

"Nothin', don't mind me. I think he went to wash his hands. Who knows what he was up to before I got in there…" She winked at Kennedy before taking a big helping of eggs and heaping them on her plate.

"Gross, Faith," Buffy said, after she finished off the last of her juice.

"I was gonna have a turkey sausage, but I think I'll pass now," Willow said, looking visibly deflated.

"Aww, I'm sorry, Red. I was just kiddin', you know he was readin' some scroll or whatever."

Buffy got up from the table and looked at her phone, "I'm gonna go make a phone call, I'll be back down to help with the clean up."

"Was it something I said?" Faith said, after watching Buffy leave quickly.

"No, I don't think it was that…"

"I was kiddin', Red. Geeze, you need to relax."

"I'm sorry."

"Are you guys gonna be cool about this?"

"About what exactly?" Kennedy smirked and raised an eyebrow.

"About what happened between me and Buffy."

"What _did_ happen?"

"Ken…" Willow tried to stop her fiancée from going any further with her questioning, because she could see it was irritating Faith.

Faith sighed and put her fork down.

"You know what happened, apparently the walls are thinner than I thought. They look as thick as fuck, but anyway. Please, we're about to go undercover, no one's in love with anyone, it was…"

Faith stopped talking when she saw Buffy walking back into the dining room with Giles. They were both smiling and walking arm in arm.

"Look who I found," Buffy said, cheerily.

"Please finish, Faith," Kennedy said. "You were saying?"

"I was saying that I'd like to spar with you after breakfast."

"Oooh, that's a great idea, Faith." Buffy said, still smiling. "Our work out yesterday left me a little sore and I'd like to have a break today."

Kennedy had looked scared when she heard Faith was going to use her to spar with, but she still couldn't help smirking at Buffy's input.

"That's cool, B. Ken here is gonna help me try out those new Katanas your girl Satsu sent to us."

Buffy blanched at the words 'your girl Satsu' from Faith, but didn't let it stop her current happiness.

"Will, do we have anymore of those cinnamon rolls?" Buffy asked, searching the table.

"Yep, here you go."

"Mmmm…" Buffy said as she licked the melted icing off the side of a big plump looking roll.

Faith's eyes darted over to her, and her mouth went dry, but she quickly recovered and swallowed half a glass of orange juice.

"I'm uhh…I'm gonna go get the mats ready, see you down stairs in a few, Ken."

"But Faith," Kennedy yelled after the retreating Slayer. "You didn't finish…your food." She said the last two quietly because Faith had already left the room. She turned to Buffy, "You harlot," She accused with a smile.

"What did I do?"

"You're such a seductress with that cinnamon roll."

"Ken…" Willow said, worriedly. "I don't think we should…"

"Quite right, Willow," Giles said. "Let's focus on the mission."

* * *

"You ready?"

Kennedy nodded after she finished taping up her hands.

"You're sure? You might wanna wear this," Faith tossed her the sparring helmet mainly used for boxing.

"You're gonna aim for my face?"

"I got a lot of aggression to get out, K. I don't wanna have Will shrink my tits to nubs 'cause I permanently scarred your face."

"Faith, I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have pried…"

"It's not about that, Ken. Just shut up and let's go, will ya?"

Kennedy put the head gear on and they started circling each other. After Kennedy feinted left and was feeling pretty proud of the jab she got off to Faith's nose, she called a time out because Faith's counter was a kick to the head so hard her neck snapped back and she thought it should have been broken.

"What the fuck was that?" Kennedy said, rubbing the back of her neck.

"What?" Faith asked innocently.

"Trying to snap my fucking head off at the neck, that's what!"

"It was an honest mistake, you shoulda ducked."

"I'm not sparring with you like this," Kennedy said, starting to take the tape off of her hands.

"Like what?"

"All fucking wound up." She stopped what she was doing and looked at Faith. "I take it you did the giving and not the receiving last night?"

"Put your hands back up, Ken."

"I'm serious, Faith, I'm not gonna be your punching bag just because you didn't get any."

"Didn't need any, and put your hands up."

Kennedy sighed and put both her hands up. Faith started alternately hitting them very rapidly, in a blisteringly fast show of pent up aggression.

After a minute or two, Kennedy backed up.

"Okay, Faith…shit I can't feel my hands."

"Phew, that helped."

Kennedy rubbed her palms one after the other and shook them to get the feeling back.

"You didn't talk to her yet, did ya?"

"Why does everything have to be about Buffy? I've got other shit on my mind, Kennedy."

"I don't know…maybe because this is like…the _weirdest_ hook up of the century?"

"What the…" Faith looked annoyed. "Weirdest hook up of the century goes to me and B? What about Xander and Little Dawnie?"

"Hey," Kennedy looked around nervously and moved in closer to Faith. "We don't talk about that around here…"

"It's almost incest, K."

"Faith," Kennedy said sternly. "Ixnay on the incest…nay?"

"You suck at pig latin," Faith laughed.

"At least I don't suck at regular Latin, bet you can't say that."

"What are you? Two? And besides, you think being t_ête à tête_ with Giles 'the poster boy for dead languages', spares me from having to learn that shit? I could Latin you into the ground."

"Oh yeah? Try it," Kennedy rolled her head to the side, cracking her neck and loosening her shoulders.

"Oh you're ready to get whupped now, are ya?"

"Bring it on, bitch!"

Kennedy never saw the upper cut coming and she blacked out before reaching the far wall, smashing into the racks that held some medicine balls.

Faith cringed as she watched them fall one by one onto Kennedy's prone form after it had broken the shelves.

'Oh fuck, Red's gonna kill me and Buffy's gonna think it was about her…' She thought right before running to stop further medicine balls from crashing down onto her friend.

"Ken…Kennedy…Ken," Faith said, patting Kennedy's cheek and helping her to lay flat on her back. All she received in response was a groan. "Ken, come on playah, it wasn't that hard of a hit…"

Buffy came running down the steps and looked at the scene.

"Faith! What happened?"

"I caught her off guard, go get Giles!"

Willow started down the steps, but then went back up to get Giles.

"Does she have a pulse?" Buffy said, nervously.

"She's alive," Faith said, but checked her pulse just in case. She was relieved when she felt a strong one.

"Faith, what happened?" Giles said, rushing down the steps, followed by a very concerned Willow.

"We were sparrin', then she sorta squared off against me, didn't see my uppercut and landed in the wall. The medicine balls…ya know, kinda crunched her a bit."

Giles rolled up his shirt sleeves and felt for a pulse.

"It's strong, G. I think I just rung her bell."

He was checking her extremities for broken bones.

"Yes, it must have been a very hard ringing," He surmised she didn't have any broken bones, and moved on to her head. She groaned when he touched the back. "Well, no broken bones, but I suspect she'll have a very sizable lump. Willow, ice pack please?"

"Right away," Willow rushed to the room where they had a freezer with ice packs.

"Damn, Faith…I think you…I think you loosened all my teeth," Kennedy said, with several moans.

"Sorry, K," Faith kneeled down and held her hand. "I didn't mean to pack that much of a wallop."

"I gotta hand it to you, though…" Kennedy winced as Faith tried to help her to a sitting position.

"Be careful with her, Faith," Giles warned.

"Okay, Granny G."

Giles tutted.

"I never saw the punch coming, and I was standing r-right in front of you…"

"Oh yes, Faith has been doing some excellent hand to hand training in Manila, her opponents rarely see her punches."

Buffy looked curiously at Faith who dared not to meet her eyes.

"Lean on me, Ken," Faith said as she helped her into a standing position.

"Faith, I was just punched a little, I'm not…oooh," She slumped against Faith. "Woozy."

"Yeah, I thought so, stop bein' a hero, K. Let's go champ, let me help you."

"I never thought there were real cartoon birdies when you got punched like that…until now…"

Buffy kept looking at Faith periodically as she followed the gang back up stairs.

* * *

When she was done helping Kennedy onto the couch and then getting the aspirin Giles told her to get out of his bag in the library, Buffy confronted her.

"Faith, what was it all about?"

Faith looked at Buffy for a few moments then said, "I was just helpin' you…"

"Not that, Faith," Buffy quickly dismissed that explanation. "I meant downstairs, what did she say to you?"

"Nothin' really…" Faith shrugged. "She called me a bitch."

"Why?"

"Just smack talkin', nothin' to get upset over."

"Then why did you punch her so hard that her ass print is still in the wall?"

"Didn't know my own strength, I guess…" Faith shrugged, trying not to catch Buffy's eyes.

"No? Giles seems to know your strength quite well, the extra training you've been putting in, I suspect with prizefighters in the Philippines."

"Yeah, so?"

"So why did you let me beat you the other night?"

"That? That was legit, Buffy. You always got the drop on me."

Buffy was shaking her head, "I know Ken is no slouch when it comes to sparring, she's almost bested me a few times now, stop holding back with me, Faith. It's not good for us to hold back anything."

"Is this your way of telling me you're okay with what happened last night?"

"Are you _not_ okay with it?"

Faith thought for a moment then said, "I'm pretty okay with it." She stopped for a few moments more and then continued, "I just don't want it to fuck up our mission."

"Being that close can only help what we'll need to do," Buffy said with confidence, there was no hint of desperation or neediness in her voice and it soothed Faith's fears. "I know you probably…no, I'm not going to make any assumptions on your love life. I'm just going to tell you, don't worry, you won't get any kind of trouble from me about what happened last night. I know you were just helping me out. I'm not looking…I mean, I don't think we're a couple now just because of that." Buffy had to stop herself from adding, 'Unless you wanted something more.' She figured that the more she treated this casually, the more she'd have it work in her favor. Or more accurately, the more she pushed for something real, the more chance there was that Faith would run from her.

"So what you're sayin' is, is that if what happened last night happened again, you'd be cool with it? Even if that meant we weren't a couple?"

"Well, no…" Buffy narrowed her eyes and turned her gaze to the wall, contemplating. "W-well actually…"

"Well what?" Faith's heart was speeding up, even though outwardly she was playing it cool. She wouldn't have admitted to hoping that Buffy would go for a casual sex relationship, but her body betrayed her. As usual.

Buffy turned back to Faith, "What I'm saying is, if that happens, then it happens. I don't want there to be any tension between us. I understand that for this mission we have to be unbelievably close."

"And if that means we get busy, it's for a good cause?"

Buffy sighed, "All I'm saying is that I'm not the prude you think I am, and I don't want repressed feelings to get in the way of what we need to do."

"Repressed feelings? You've got some repression going on?"

Before Buffy could answer that Willow came into the library.

"Hey guys, sorry to interrupt but I need those aspirin, I think she'll be able to keep them down now."

"She was yarkin'?" Faith asked.

"Yeah, from the spins."

"Oh fuck, I'm so sorry, Red."

"I know you are, Faith."

"I'm gonna owe her big time."

"It was an accident, don't beat yourself up about it." Willow put her arm on Faith's. "Let me get these to her." She shook the bottle. "I'm not sure if these'll be enough. But we'll humor Giles a little."

Buffy looked at Faith expectantly.

"No, those will be enough." She indicated towards the door that Willow just left through. "Giles has become an amateur alchemist, he's doctored those up for slayer sized headaches."

"Really? That's good to know."

"You've got a headache?"

"I kinda feel one coming on."

Faith looked uneasy at that, so she did what she does best. Deflect and ignore.

"Maybe you should go lay down, B. I'll finish up whatever we had to research today and I'll report it to you."

"No," Buffy shook her head. "I'm not a slouch and it's not that serious of a headache."

"How about I go check out the place Giles got for us while you relax here?"

"Faith, we're supposed to do that together…are you okay?"

Faith moved quickly to the window and looked out at the vista. "I'm okay," She said all too quickly.

"Are you sure, 'cause suddenly you look kinda not okay."

"Buffy," Faith started to raise her voice, then thought better of it and took a few calming breaths. "To tell you the truth, I'm feelin' kinda anxious and I don't know…"

"Wound up?" Buffy asked cautiously.

"Kinda…yeah."

Buffy was going to press, but she stayed silent and let Faith tell her in her own time.

"I thought the sparring would have helped, but now I just went and made a mess of that. And ya know…"

"What?"

"Now we got this eighty pound elephant in the room…"

Buffy looked puzzled and let out a short laugh, "We have a severely anorexic elephant in the room?"

Faith turned and looked at her puzzled for a moment, and then laughed, "Oh shit, ya see? You make me nervous."

"_I_ make _you_ nervous?" Buffy was blown away by that, Faith used to live to make Buffy nervous.

Faith flounced on the small couch that was next to the window.

She let out a big sigh, and then after several moments of false starts, she finally said, "I usually don't do this, Buffy…"

"I know, Faith," Buffy tried to make her tone sound soothing. "Get some, get gone. I remember."

"No…well, yeah that, but what I meant was, I usually don't like to talk about anything. Especially things having to do with you."

"Oh," Buffy tried to remain neutral. Her tone still sounded relaxed.

"I started to open up to Giles about a year after we were workin' together." Faith pointed to no one in particular in the chair opposite the couch she was occupying. "Had a therapist, two times a week for an hour, we sat across from each other in silence, almost a whole month before she lost it on me and finally got me to talk. I didn't think therapists were supposed to yell."

That made Buffy let out a short laugh, "I think I get it, Faith."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, you've opened yourself up to me quicker than you have with anyone else, and it's making you wig."

Faith thought about that for a moment, "I guess that's one way to put it."

"What's another way?"

"I don't know how to act around you since I helped you get off?"

"We were fine together in the kitchen and at breakfast… and didn't we just talk about this before Willow came in?"

"Yeah, but that's because other people were around, and then you were doing all the talking but…" Faith stopped.

"But what?" Buffy asked as she watched Faith put her hands over her face and lean over in the chair.

"Fuck, this is gonna be hard."

Buffy was really puzzled at the moment, she knew Faith would be a little weirded out by what happened between them, but she was prepared for stony silence and mixed signals. She wasn't prepared for Faith struggling out her feelings in front of her.

"If it's easier for you, let me say, again, that I'm really okay with last night."

"Why?"

"Why?"

"Yeah, why are you okay with it? I mean, not that I don't want you to be, but shit, B. Our track record…"

"Forget our track record, Faith. Seriously, forget the past."

"But, Buffy…"

"No, I'm serious, you said it yourself, if we go in there with anything but a solid relationship we're toast. I know what we've been to each other in the past. I know how icily I've acted towards you. I remember vividly how betrayed I felt by you. I know how many times we've tried to kill each other."

"And I've hurt or tried to kill your friends…" Faith added helpfully.

"Thank you, but I wasn't forgetting that either. I'm not a different Buffy, but I know what has to get done, and we have to be okay with each other. If that means that we get closer than either of us was intending…"

"You're soundin' like Giles," Faith pointed out.

"Thank you for pointing that out, never let me go too long with sounding like him," Buffy genuinely smiled a grateful smile at Faith and her traitorous heart once again skipped a beat. She put her hand to her chest and rubbed unconsciously.

"You okay?" Buffy asked, concerned.

Faith looked at her hand and was surprised it was there, "Uh, yeah, bacon is kinda repeatin' on me."

"It's been an eventful morning, why don't we just chill?"

"Chill?"

"Yeah, relax, watch some more movies or something. What are we up to now?"

"Casino," Faith said.

"Casino it is, you want me to go make popcorn?"

Faith shook her head.

"You're right, we just ate…"

"That's not what I meant."

Buffy looked at her quizzically.

"No?"

"No," Faith moved over on the couch and patted the seat beside her. "We weren't done talking."

It was Buffy's turn to be nervous, "We weren't?"

"No, Buffy. As painful as this shit is, we gotta do it," Faith patted the seat next to her again.

"Y-you want me to sit next to you?"

"No, I want you to watch while I play patty cake with the cushion. Yes, I want you to sit next to me!"

Buffy jumped at Faith's raised voice.

"Okay, geez," She said as she shuffled over to the couch.

Faith laughed as she realized they were already playing their roles.

"What's so funny?"

"This…"

"What?"

"We're exactly how Will wrote us in the emails."

"You think I'm ditzy?"

"At the moment yes, and I'm pushy."

Buffy thought about it for a moment and laughed as she flopped onto the cushion. She could feel the closeness of Faith, and the warmth radiating from her body.

"You know what? I think we need to be watching some movies or TV shows where the couples are like we're supposed to be," Faith said.

"Like what?"

"Well, like Burns and Allen or Abbot and Costello."

"They were a couple?"

"Holy shit, are you acting?"

"Y-yes…" Buffy lied.

"Ha!" Faith laughed. "I think I know your tell."

"My what?"

"Your 'tell', when you're bluffin'."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, you stutter."

Buffy narrowed her eyes at Faith. "Oh, okay. Make fun of my speech impediment."

"Nice try, B. You only have that _impediment_ when you're lyin', so you can't claim a disability."

Buffy narrowed her eyes even further, she was trying to figure out what Faith's tell was. Usually it was when her lips were moving, but since she'd been training with Giles, Faith was much harder to read.

"Alright," Buffy conceded. "Now you know my tell." She shrugged. "What did you want to talk about?"

Faith's left leg started to move, she was bouncing it slightly. Buffy took note.

"Well, you know…"

"Last night?"

Faith's leg moved quicker.

"Kinda, yeah…"

"I told you Faith…"

"Yeah, I know you did, and what you said was really nice to hear, I mean it really put my mind at ease. I just want to make sure you were being honest with me."

Buffy started to speak, but she knew what came out of her mouth would be a stutter, so she waited a few moments.

"I was."

"You're sure?" Faith put her hand on Buffy's leg and looked in her eyes.

If Buffy could have conjured a demon to swallow up the couch with them on it, she would have at that moment. But when she spoke she managed to keep it stutter free.

"I meant what I said, Faith."

"So like, if I kissed you right now you wouldn't mind?"

Buffy shook her head.

"I mean, you wouldn't think it really freakin' weird even after last night?"

"Well, not after last night, no. But I would be wondering why you wanted to kiss me."

"No reason," Faith shrugged. "I wasn't really sayin' I was gonna kiss you, I just wanted to make sure you were okay with it."

Once again, Buffy wasn't sure what Faith was getting at, and it showed on her face.

"Ya know, because of the mission and all…" Faith clarified.

"Oh, okay, yeah I getcha."

"Got it?"

"Uh huh," Buffy nodded and looked at Faith's hand that was still on her leg. Faith looked down at it too and quickly moved it to her own lap. Her leg started to move again.

They sat in silence for a few more moments until Buffy spoke again.

"For what it's worth, and while we're both not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, I wanted to sincerely thank you for last night."

"Don't mention it."

"Okay…" Buffy fell silent and the nervousness came over her again.

"So whatta we do now?" Faith asked.

"Well…I think we need to go ring shopping, don't you?" She said as she looked at the unadorned ring finger of her right hand.

"Ring shopping?" Faith asked and looked at Buffy's hand. "Oh, right. How are we gonna get something that big on our salary?"

"Giles, my second father, is going to front us a loan, once the mission is over we sell the ring and give him his money back."

Faith thought about that for a moment, then looked at Buffy slyly, "Ring shopping huh?"

"How exciting!" Buffy rubbed Faith's arm.

Faith looked at where Buffy was rubbing and sighed.

"Are you okay?" Buffy asked.

"Still makes me feel weird…the touchy feely."

Buffy took her hands off of Faith quickly, "Sorry."

"No, don't be. We need to lose the uneasiness and fast. We only have a couple of days 'til the big meeting."

"What do you suggest?"

Faith sat back on couch and pulled Buffy's legs onto her lap. At first Buffy was startled, but when she realized what Faith was doing she settled back snuggly into the arm of the chair. She watched with rapt attention as Faith pulled off her shoe, then her sock.

"Damn, B, when was the last time you did your toes?"

Buffy tried to pull her foot back from Faith's grasp, she was self conscious. Since everything had been going on, she hadn't given a thought to her pedicure.

"I…"

"Don't worry, girlfriend. Stay right here," Faith said as she got up. "I'll be right back and then we'll take care of you."

Buffy was a little stunned as she watched Faith leave the room quickly. 'I guess this is her way of getting closer,' She thought and smiled to herself.

Faith came back in with a little case and found Buffy had taken her other shoe and sock off. They were firmly ensconced in the task of Buffy's pedicure when Giles walked back into the library.

"Oh, pardon me…" He said, nervously looking at the scene he just happened upon; he turned to leave.

"No, don't go, we're just finishing up," Faith said as she put the last coat on Buffy's little toe. "She's got an almost non-existent toe nail here. It doesn't need too much."

"Faith, stop that, I have a toe nail there."

"It's weird though, that's the smallest pinkie toe I've ever seen. It's almost like your body is tryin' to reabsorb it or somethin'."

"Faith!" Buffy exclaimed and slapped her arm.

Faith laughed, "What? I'm just sayin' it's stubby." She shrugged.

"Okay, I understand I'm a midget in your eyes."

Faith laughed a little harder, when she could talk she said, "Hey, that's 'little person' and I don't think that, it's just your fingers and toes are…"

"Don't say it…"

"But they're cute," Faith smiled. "Although, there's another part of your anatomy that's surprisingly large—" Faith was cut off by Giles coughing loudly and Buffy jumping up off the couch and pulling her off as well.

"Hey, watch the bottles, this is some expensive stuff here…" Faith said, trying to keep the bottles of polish in the case she had.

"Let's go do some research, _honey_."

"I thought we were gonna go buy the ring?" Faith asked, packing her supplies safely away.

"Th-the ring?" Giles asked, stopping his cup of tea's progress to his mouth.

"Oh right. Giles," Buffy turned to him. "Can I borrow your credit card?"

"For what purpose?"

"For a replacement engagement ring."

"R-replacement engagement ring? Why did you have one in the first place?"

"Faith proposed to me a couple of weeks ago but the ring was Willow's, and these guys know that we're engaged, so there needs to be a ring."

"But why do you need a real one?"

"Because these people know jewelry," Faith said.

"Why?"

"What do you think? They take the stolen stuff they get to a jewelers for an appraisal? They know how to tell shit is real. Especially the wives and girlfriends, which Buffy is going to need to spend some time around. Capisce?"

"Io capisco," Giles answered in Italian without thinking. "I just think this is getting completely out of hand."

"We don't need negative, Giles," Faith scolded. "We just need your credit card."

Giles nodded, "I've had the council issue you your own, in the names of your alter egos." He reached into his pocket and produced the cards. "Along with drivers licenses and passports."

"Wow, that's some CIA shit." Faith said as she looked at the faked identification.

"Better. Each piece of identification has a falsified history, when it was first applied for and where. All in your names, so if anyone wanted to look into your history they'd be able to see that it was legitimate. Buffy, for instance, up until you met Faith, your credit history was appalling, quite as soon as it began. She helped you clear it up, and now you have a joint account."

"Damn, that detailed, huh?"

"We can't take any chances. Willow's been working tirelessly on this since you agreed to go undercover."

"I guess I'm the ditz who likes to shop?"

"Kinda accurate," Faith bumped shoulders with Buffy.

"Oh, you are in _such_ trouble…" Buffy warned.

"I've compiled a dossier of your financial and educational histories, I suggest you go over them as quickly as possible."

"Right after we get back from ring shopping," Faith said as she pulled Buffy out of the room. "See you later, G."

Giles sighed and sat in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Che Dio ci aiuti."

* * *

"Is that the one?"

Buffy nodded and looked at it on her hand again.

"Sir, we'll take this one."

"That's an excellent choice, will this be cash or credit."

"Credit," Faith said as she got her wallet out of her bag.

"If you don't mind my asking, why didn't you give it to her as a surprise?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well, it's obvious you two are a couple, usually these things are a surprise."

"Oh," Faith said, trying to think.

"W-well," Buffy started and Faith jumped in.

"She lost the first one. That was the one that had been a surprise, this is a replacement."

"That's a shame, how did you lose it?"

"I uhhh," Buffy started.

"She doesn't like to talk about it, 'cause she thinks I'm gonna be mad. She took it off to wash her hands at a club we were at. I tell her a million times not to take it off, but she did…and forgot she had done it. By the time she realized, it was gone."

Buffy blushed and looked down at the counter.

"You really should never take it off, but if you do, make sure you get yourself a nice safe at home to lock it in."

"We will, thanks."

The man handed Faith back her card and she signed the slip.

"I'll send that appraisal to your email address. Many blessings and good luck."

"Thanks a lot…"

"Guido," The man reminded Faith of his name.

"Guido, thank you," She shook his hand. "We appreciate it."

Buffy shook his hand as well.

When they were out of the shop, Guido pressed a button on a cell phone.

"Two broads answering the description you gave just came in to buy a replacement ring. The dumb one lost the first one apparently."

"Did they leave an address?" Asked the man on the other end of the phone.

"I'm sending it to you now."

"Good."

"You want someone to follow 'em?"

"No." The man said and hung up.

"You're welcome, bastardo," Guido said with clear disdain as he set the phone down on the counter and emailed the address to the guy who just called.

* * *

"We've made you reservations at the Plaza Hotel," Giles said, as he sat down at the table where Buffy and Faith were having an early evening snack.

"Fuck, that's fancy, thanks, G!" She took the brochure that Giles pushed across the table to her.

"Willow just emailed Joseph that you two were in the city to celebrate your anniversary, and to replace the ring Buffy lost."

"So when do we need to go there?"

"Tonight, you'll have two days together to get…" He stopped in midsentence and cleared his throat. "More comfortable with each other."

Buffy looked at Faith who surprisingly didn't make any lascivious faces or smart-alek comments, she just said, "Makes sense."

"Do we pack or are our things already there?"

Giles looked impressed that Buffy would think to ask that. "Everything is already there, you checked in last night."

"How?" Faith asked.

"It's better if you didn't know."

"Oh God, this is starting to freak me out," Buffy said.

"Buffy," Faith said, turning to her and making her look into her eyes. "We're okay, everything's gonna be fine, we got each other, remember?"

Buffy looked deeply into Faith's eyes and her face became less ashen looking, "I remember."

"Alright, let me run upstairs and get my wallet."

"Change into dinner clothes, you have reservations at Le Cirque." Giles called after her.

"I'm guessing we'll get a briefing before we leave?" Faith asked, slightly miffed that Giles and Willow obviously made plans they didn't let the Slayers in on.

"Yes, we'll meet you downstairs. Buffy I suggest you change as well."

As they walked up to the room they were sharing they stayed silent for different reasons. Faith was wondering what other plans Giles and Willow had for them and why they didn't weren't let in on them until they had to leave. While Buffy was worrying that this might be their last two days on Earth. She didn't have a good feeling about this mission, but curiously, having Faith there was definitely making her feel better. She figured at least they might get to know each other better before the end came.

After getting changed into the clothes that had been laid out for them, they joined Giles and Willow in the war room.

Willow held out two capsules, one in each hand, to the Slayers.

"What's this?" Buffy asked.

"Where's Ken?" Faith asked, looking around the room.

"It's everything you'll need to know that you couldn't have learned in the two weeks you were preparing for this mission." Giles said.

"She's out patrolling." Willow answered Faith.

Buffy and Faith took the capsules from her and both looked at them in the palm of their hands.

"It's pretty big," Buffy said.

"There's a lot in 'em," Willow explained.

"Any side effects?" Faith asked.

"No growing a third leg, if that's what you mean," Willow said with a bit of snark in her voice.

Faith laughed, "Nah, I'm being serious this time, Red. What's the deal?"

"They're knowledge capsules, both of you have basically the same things loaded in here, except certain aspects of your lives."

"Like?" Faith gestured for her to continue.

"Well, for instance your Italian-Americanisms, and things about your 'family' that Buffy wouldn't know. There's also Italian and Sicilian dialects loaded in here as well. You'll need both. Buffy's one has things about her family background but also, she understands some of the language, from being with you for all those years, but not all. We also loaded them up with the FBI's information on the guys you'll be dealing with, their associates and families."

"Holy shit," Faith said, looking at the pill in amazement.

"What she said," Buffy added.

"Will we feel anything?"

"In a few hours you'll feel a bit of a head rush, but it'll go away if you lie down for a few minutes."

"You ready, B?" Faith looked at Buffy, she noticed the trepidation on her face.

"Hang on, is this gonna make me dumb?"

"No, as a matter of fact we're going with the theory that you're not really dumb, but that you do it so no one will suspect you capable of things you're going to be capable of while you're undercover."

"I guess this will all make sense in a couple of hours?" Faith asked.

"You got the idea," Willow smiled.

"On three, Buffy?" Faith asked again and gestured at the capsule.

"I uhh…"

"I'll go first, will that be better?"

"N-no, I'm fine."

"Yeah, right."

"Really, Faith. On three…wait, is this your three or a regular three?"

"Like one, two, jump?"

"Yes."

"Nah, it's a real three."

Giles and Willow looked puzzled by their discussion.

"Okay, I'll count. One, two, three."

They both knocked back the capsule and took a big drink of the waters they were each handed.

Faith and Buffy looked at each other when they were done drinking. They each shrugge, and turned to the others.

"Feels normal."

"It'll start slowly releasing into your system. By the time you reach the restaurant, you'll speak fluent Italian."

"Sweet! Wait, I think it's working, I'm cravin' a cannoli."

"You've been craving a cannoli ever since we saw the Sopranos the other day."

Faith looked at Willow who had her eyebrow raised.

"The one where Christopher goes to pick up the pastries and shoots that guy in the foot." She explained.

"Oh, that was a good one…" Willow lied, she had fallen asleep during that episode. Faith and Kennedy were having a Sopranos marathon and that particular episode came at four in the morning.

"Okay, I guess this is 'So long for a while', no?"

"Yep, no goodbyes. We'll be in touch."

Buffy hugged both Willow and Giles, Faith gave each a hand shake.

"You know me, I don't do sentimental."

"Your taxi is waiting."

"One of ours?" Buffy asked.

"Nope, totally legit."

"Here goes," Faith said, and led Buffy up the stairs and out into the waiting cab.

"The pill's working already, did you see that, Giles?"

"Faith pulled open the door and helped Buffy inside."

"They kissed before she closed the door."

"This is, as you youngsters are used to saying, freaky."

"Totally," Willow said, nodding her head in agreement.


	5. The Storm Of The Century

"Willow was right," Faith said to Buffy as she held out her hand to help her out of the cab in front of the restaurant.

"About what?" Buffy asked, accepting Faith's hand.

"Parlo Italiano."

"Way freaky."

"Totalmente."

"Somehow I know that means totally. You must say it a lot."

Buffy snaked her arm through Faith's as they stood in front of the restaurant.

"Wow," Buffy said, as she looked at the expansiveness of the courtyard the restaurant was nestled in.

"This is somethin'," Faith said as looking at the concave glass and metal structure that was before them. The skyscraper above was just as impressive. "Should we just go to Starbucks instead?" She asked, pointing to the sign.

"Faith, we have reservations. And I'm starving."

"Okay, but if something goes wrong, like I break something, don't say I didn't warn you."

"You're not a bull and this isn't a china shop."

As they walked into the restaurant more "memories" started filter through.

"We've been here before. But not at this location." Faith said, matter-of-factly.

"My parents brought us to the old Le Cirque after graduation, we went to see a Broadway show." Buffy said, surprised to not be surprised at the knowledge.

"Les Mis," Faith recalled.

"Master of the house…" Buffy sung quietly and looked at Faith with a sly grin.

"Oh man, that was the night you finally…"

Faith stopped as they were greeted by the hostess.

"Good evening, ladies. Are you joining guests?"

"No, we have a reservation for two."

"Name, please?"

"Alfieri," Faith said.

"Ah yes, welcome to Le Cirque," The hostess said with a warm smile; she made a check mark in the book in front of her. "Giorgio," She called to a waiter. "Here are your guests for table number eight."

"Very well, right this way ladies," Giorgio said with a brilliant smile.

"Thanks," Faith said as she and Buffy walked arm in arm to the table.

"We're getting looks," Buffy whispered.

"'Cause we're two hot chicks walking with our arms linked in a crowd that would remember how many times and where Ol' Blue Eyes played Vegas. Relax, babe. We've been through this before."

"And we're cool with it."

"Exactly, you know my motto."

"Fuck 'em." Buffy whispered back.

Faith smiled and squeezed Buffy's hand that was linked in hers.

"Here are your menus, ladies. Would you like to start off with a cocktail?"

"Vodka rocks," Faith said without thinking. "Buffy?"

"Amaretto Sour," She said slightly surprised.

"Excellent, they'll be right out. Enjoy your evening at Le Cirque, I'll be your waiter, Giorgio."

"Grazie, Giorgio," Faith smiled at him.

"Prego," Giorgio said, impressed.

"B, don't look so surprised when an idea comes into your head," Faith said, after Giorgio had gone to get their drinks.

"No, I know, it's just…"

"Believe me, it's completely nuts. But not, ya know? And that's what's really making me wig."

"I know."

"We gotta relax," Faith said with a smile. "We've replaced your ring. We're happy."

Buffy looked at the ring on her finger, it sparkled in the light of the expansive main dining room.

"We're very happy," She said and returned Faith's smile.

Water and an assortment of artisan breads were brought to their table by a bus boy.

"Thank you," Buffy said as he filled her water glass. He winked at her.

He did the same to Faith as he was filling her glass.

"You okay?" Faith asked him.

"Fine," He said.

"Your eye was twitchin', I thought you might…"

"Faith," Buffy said in a warning tone.

"Sorry, it's my way of being friendly, I wasn't trying to…"

"Is everything alright?" Giorgio asked as he brought their drinks.

Faith looked at the bus boy for a beat or two, then looked at Giorgio, "Everything's fine."

The bus boy looked relieved. He _was_ winking at them because he could tell they were in a relationship and he was being a little too friendly, but he needed this job and behavior like that could get him fired.

"Good," Giorgio said. "Did you have a chance to look at the menu?"

Faith nodded and asked Buffy, "Meat or fish?"

"Meat," Buffy said, confidently.

"We'll have the chateaubriand for two."

"Excellent choice, would you like an appetizer to start?"

"B?"

Buffy nodded.

"A little surf with your turf?" Faith asked, a glint was in her eye.

Buffy smiled and nodded again.

"We'll have the Plateau Fruits de Mer," Faith said.

"Another excellent choice, I'll go put these in and bring you a wine list."

"How about you just bring us what you recommend."

"Very well," Giorgio said with a slight bow and left.

"I know you said to not be surprised, Faith, but it's…so…_familiar_, the way you know what I'd like to have without even really having to ask."

Faith was nodding as she buttered a piece of bread that was dotted with olive pieces.

"And the fact that I hate olives, but somehow I want this bread so bad."

"You hate olives?"

"Tasteless and they look like a smashed bug, but like I said, my mouth is waterin' for this bread."

"You know what?"

"What?"

"I don't think I ever ordered an amaretto sour, what is amaretto?"

"Almond, but if you ordered without thinking, shouldn't you know what it is too?"

Buffy shrugged.

"That better not be a flaw of the pill."

"Maybe because of how it gets slowly released into our system?"

"I really wish Will would have given those to us sooner," Faith said shaking her head and popping a piece of the bread she was buttering into her mouth. "Mmmm." She moaned as she chewed. "Just like Nonna used to make." She said with her mouth half full.

Their drinks were brought to them by a waitress who told them to enjoy and left quickly.

"Butter one for me?" Buffy asked, she had been watching Faith enjoy the bread so thoroughly.

"You sure? I thought you were on a diet?"

"Starts tomorrow," Buffy said and took a sip of her drink. "Mmm, no I know what this is, I love these."

"Diet?" Faith asked puzzled.

"Alternate Buffy has to watch what she eats apparently. I thought you said to relax and go with whatever came into our heads?"

"Sorry, maybe we shoulda just stayed in tonight…"

Faith jumped as she felt Buffy's foot rub her leg.

"We'll have plenty of time for that later, sweety," Buffy said with a mischievous grin. "Why so jumpy?"

"Pill still hasn't completely kicked that part in I guess, but suddenly all these memories are coming back to me…"

Buffy nodded knowingly.

"Damn, in a semi-empty subway car? What an imagination Will has on her."

"I think she and Ken watched Risky Business the other night."

"That would explain it," Faith closed her eyes and her heart rate sped up. The memory was pretty hot. They didn't take any clothes off, and stayed seated next to each other, but their hands wound up in very interesting and private places. The memory of the kissing alone was making Faith's pussy throb. 'This is going to be a long and painful mission,' She thought.

After their appetizers arrived, Giorgio presented Faith with a bottle of wine, "This is courtesy of the restaurant. Our bus boy gives his sincerest apologies for the misunderstanding when he filled your water glasses."

"No, that's no problem, you don't have to comp the wine," Faith protested.

"We insist, this has been expertly chilled and goes excellently with the fish," Giorgio smiled and gave a head nod as he poured the wine in each glass. "Anything else before I go?"

"Another vodka rocks, please. B, you want another amaretto?"

"No, I'm good, thank you."

"Very well. Enjoy your appetizer." He smiled at them. "Rita will be over with your drink," He said to Faith and left.

"Somehow I have this feeling that the comped wine was more about my last name, and not the wink the bus boy gave us."

"I have the same feeling."

"The guy right behind you in the booth," Faith said as she was taking a piece of the fish from the dish in front of her. "I recognize him, but I don't know why…yet."

"Another vodka rocks?" Buffy said with a raised eyebrow.

"Just two, B, I promise."

"Do you even like vodka on the rocks?"

Faith thought as she was chewing what she had just put in her mouth.

"Mixed with stuff, kinda, but if it were the real me, I'd prefer a Jack and coke."

Buffy shrugged, she was getting used to the paradoxes already.

Their dinner progressed happily, and they became more and more comfortable with their new selves, while being relieved that they didn't lose any of their real selves.

As Giorgio was asking about dessert and Buffy was rubbing Faith's leg under the table again, the man from the booth behind Buffy got up and buttoned his coat. He caught Faith's eye and after saying something to his dinner guests, he walked over to their table.

"Don't I know you?"

His figure was very imposing, like he had at one time been a prizefighter, but had now let himself go a little. His wavy black, slicked back hair was tinged with grey at the temples.

Faith was surprised to feel Buffy didn't remove her foot from her leg, but continued to rub it while she ordered their dessert from Giorgio.

"I think so," Faith said and started to stand.

"No, don't get up," The man said, and extended his hand. "Petey Samartino."

Faith's heart sped up, and not from Buffy's foot rejoining her leg as she sat back down, "Faith…"

"Alfieri…yeah, I thought I recognized you. I knew your dad."

"I uhhh," Faith said, and looked at her hand that he had just covered with his other hand in a more intimate handshake.

"Relax, I know you didn't really know him." He said with a smile on his face. "Is this your girlfriend?"

"Yes, this is Buffy," Faith introduced them.

"I heard about your engagement," He smiled at them and kissed Buffy's hand. "Word gets around quickly, if you know what I mean." He winked at Faith.

"I see that," Faith smiled back, trying to keep any fear out of her face.

"You two enjoy your stay in New York. It was nice to meet both of you."

"You too," Faith said.

"It was a pleasure," Buffy added.

He turned and joined his party after winking at Faith again.

"What's with the winks? Some eye problem catching tonight?"

"Relax, baby," Buffy said.

"And what's with you and the foot under the table? You in heat?"

"Hey, don't take your mood out on me, what happened?"

"What happened is they're following us. They knew we were gonna be here and for whatever reason, he wanted us to know that."

"Didn't we know that coming in?"

"Did we? You tell me. Will and Giles gave us ugotz."

"Please, Faith, we're supposed to be having a good time."

Faith sighed and tried to shake the sudden foul mood out of her head.

"You're right, I'm sorry," She smiled at Buffy. "What'd you order for us?"

"Crème brulee," Buffy said, and reached over the table to take Faith's hand. "They could still be watching us."

Faith leaned in, "Really, though, B. What's with the foot?" Buffy had just rubbed Faith's leg again with it.

"I don't know, I can't help wanting to touch you," Her face looked a little nervous. "Do you think I'm going to do something stupid? Like jump you in public?"

Faith took both of Buffy's hands in hers and looked in her eyes, "I don't know why, but I have this feeling you won't."

Buffy nodded confidently after searching Faith's face, it told her she was telling the truth.

They let go of each other as their dessert and coffee came to the table. Sure enough as Faith was stirring the sugar in her espresso, she caught someone with a brush cut and a dark tan looking towards them.

"You'd think they'd send some less obvious looking people."

Buffy didn't look up from her dessert, "You said, they're letting us know they're watching."

"That's right. Fuck it. I'm not gonna worry about it. The dessert looks wonderful," She smiled at Buffy. "Thanks for ordering it."

"You're welcome," Buffy looked at Faith from beneath her lashes as she licked her spoon and let out a soft moan.

Faith's eyes went wide as her pussy responded to Buffy's obvious flirting. Her leg started bouncing but other than that she didn't let on that it was bothering her. She didn't need their paranoia to skyrocket, and since Buffy seemed okay with it, she decided to just let go.

Especially since this touchy feely thing would stop once they got back to the hotel.

* * *

"Holy fuck, this room is…"

"Huge and gorgeous."

"You said it, B."

"You went all out for us, big spender," Buffy pulled Faith to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Okay, okay, other Faith is a romantic." Faith pulled out of the embrace and tried to put some distance between them. "Hey, was it just me or could you smell snow in the air?" Faith asked as she kicked off her shoes.

"You know, I heard the woman at the desk say we were supposed to get more than twenty inches."

"Holy shit, that's a blizzard," Faith turned on the TV that was in a wooden cabinet across from the couch. They had a suite, the bedroom was off in another room.

"Faith, unhook me?" Buffy asked with her back to Faith.

"Sure, B," Faith stood back up to unhook the clasp that was holding Buffy's dress together in the back. Buffy turned around and gave her a grateful kiss on the lips. Faith stood there stunned as she watched Buffy go into the bedroom.

"I'm gonna take a shower, sweety. Did you wanna join?"

Faith's eyebrows knitted themselves into a puzzled juxtaposition on her forehead.

"B…"

"Yeah?" Buffy looked at her from the other room.

"What's your last name?"

"Quinn," Buffy gave Faith a puzzled look. "Wait…no…" She shook her head slightly. "Summers. Faith."

"Summers-Faith?"

"No, S-summers. Summers." Buffy said with confidence. "Oooh, wait, I'm feeling kinda," Buffy stumbled and grabbed onto the door jamb and Faith went over to steady her. As soon as she got there Buffy fell limply against her.

"Buffy? B?" Faith helped her over to the bed. "Buffy, can you hear me?"

Buffy groaned, "I th-think I…too many drinks…"

"Hang on a second, B. I'm gonna go get a cool washcloth."

"'Kay," Buffy breathed. "Water too please."

Faith looked in the refrigerator, there were bottles of very cool water and she took one out. She got a wash cloth out of the bathroom then went back to the bed.

"Can you help me take this off?" She pulled at her dress. "I feel, constricted."

"But, B, you're not wearing a bra."

"It's nothing you haven't seen before…"

'That's right, I guess,' Faith thought. "I'll get you one of your shirts," She said, and moved to the dresser drawers. Somehow she knew their alter egos had put away the clothes, Buffy had insisted on it.

"No," Buffy protested weakly from her prone position on the bed. "One of yours, they're softer."

Faith shrugged, "Okay…"

"I don't know what it is, Faith. I didn't drink anymore than usual." Buffy said as Faith helped her into a sitting position and pulled her dress down a little. As Buffy's breasts came into view Faith looked away. "You okay? Are you feeling weird too?"

"Just a little. It'll pass."

Faith made a quick decision that they were two girls, and Buffy was right, she had seen her breasts only the night before. In fact she had sucked her nipple into her mouth. In an instant she convinced herself not to be a pussy about it and helped Buffy get into one of "her" shirts without anymore modesty.

"That was an awesome dinner," Buffy said, handing the bottle of water back to Faith. "I wish I didn't feel so head-rushy."

"That's okay, B. I guess our movie night can wait."

"Dirty movie night? We were gonna have that here?"

Faith looked at the bed puzzled.

"I think you better nap a little," Faith poured some water on the wash cloth and handed it to Buffy to put on her forehead.

"You're not gonna come nap with me?"

Faith laughed, "Good one, Buffy. I'm gonna shower, you just rest up. The spins'll stop soon."

"I hope," She said and settled back into the pillows. She closed her eyes and fell into a light sleep.

* * *

'Whatta weird night,' Faith thought as she walked back into the room from her shower. She quietly went over to the dresser drawers and took out her sleeping clothes. 'This is a bit low cut.' Faith said as she took a look at the black lace camisole she saw in the drawer. She put that back and decided on one of the soft t-shirts Buffy had mentioned and a pair of shorts. 'I wonder when I'm gonna get the head rushes.'

She went back into the bathroom to dress and dry her hair, she didn't want to wake Buffy who seemed to be sleeping very comfortably.

After she was finished in the bathroom, she lifted the covers and settled onto her side of the bed. Buffy woke slightly, "Hey…"

"Hey back," She got under the covers. "You okay with me sleeping here?" She felt she had to check, she didn't want Buffy to feel crowded, especially if she wasn't feeling well.

Buffy was quiet for a moment then asked worriedly, "Did we have a fight…because…I drank too much?"

"Relax, you had one drink and some wine with the meal. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm feeling a bit better," She said, cautiously as she shifted closer to Faith in the bed. "Did you wanna…"

"Wanna what?" Faith became nervous.

Buffy threw her arm around her and snuggled her face into her bicep.

"You know…"

Faith tried not to, but she couldn't help hearing the want in Buffy's voice.

"Uhhh, I know what?" That didn't mean she wasn't still going to deny what she heard.

"I knew it…" Buffy said with a laugh.

"You know what?"

"You're still feeling weird about-"

"Not weird," Faith interjected. "Just kinda…"

"I told you, Faith. Everything's okay, I'm okay with it…"

Faith tried to think, there was a nagging memory that was trying to make its way into her thoughts, but she couldn't quite get a grasp on it. Her inner voice decided that Buffy was truly okay with 'helping her out' and didn't mind if it happened again.

"Okay, I believe you, but…"

"But what? I want to say thank you for last night…and tonight, will you let me?"

Faith's mouth went dry, she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

After a few moments of looking into each other's eyes Faith asked, "_How_ exactly?"

She sat stunned as she watched Buffy take off her shirt, and throw it on the floor, her panties soon followed.

"Planning on changing into some cow pajama's, B?"

Buffy laughed, "Oh yeah, really sexy, Faith." She pulled on the bottom of Faith's shirt, but Faith stopped her progress of pulling it over her head. "What's the matter?"

"I don't know…"

"Faith, we're supposed to get closer here, that's what we talked about."

"I know, Buffy, but…"

"No, no buts…relax," She said soothingly.

"Are you gonna give me a massage or somethin'?" Faith asked.

"Or something," Buffy said and whipped Faith's shirt over her head. "Mmmm, I never get tired of seeing those."

"You don't?" Faith asked, stunned.

Buffy shook her head and without another word dipped her mouth to Faith's nipple. A memory came flooding back to her, and she groaned, she wasn't ready for this.

"Buffy," Faith sighed out as she was pushed into the pillows without Buffy breaking the suction she had on her nipple. "Maybe this is too soon…"

Buffy lifted her head, finally breaking the contact she had with her skin, "It's not soon enough, Faith." She slithered her body on top of Faith's and placed a kiss on her slack lips. Her mouth was still open from being stunned at what was happening but somehow she couldn't stop it from continuing.

"Buffy you don't have to…" Faith said when the kiss broke.

"I _want_ to," Buffy said looking deeply into Faith's eyes. "I want to feel you…"

'Fuck, my heart's gonna betray me,' Faith thought, her heart was speeding up at Buffy's words.

"Relax…" Buffy said again, and reached under the covers to push Faith's panties down her legs. "I said, _relax_." Her tone was stern because she felt Faith tense up.

'What the fuck? I thought friends with benefits might come out of this mission, but I didn't know it would be this soon.'

Buffy went back to kissing Faith, and when her hand pushed in between Faith's legs, she opened them automatically to give her better access. Buffy smiled into the kiss. "That's it, baby…let Buffy make you feel good."

"Oh my God," Faith exclaimed as Buffy's fingers slid over her trimmed mound and down to her moistening lips. Buffy's mouth was busy placing kisses on her neck and took an occasional nibble of the smooth skin. As her fingers slid back and forth, she lifted her head.

"Can I?"

Faith, not entirely in the frame of mind to refuse Buffy, nodded. The false memories of their past lovemaking were currently coursing through her body, she knew instinctively that what Buffy was about to do to her was going to give her the release she needed and that she would feel safe, happy and loved afterwards.

Buffy pushed herself up slightly and marched her lips down Faith's body. "So smooth," She said between kisses. Faith wanted to thread her fingers in her hair and push her face down to where she needed it, but she held herself in check. She didn't want to scare Buffy with anything rough. She had passed the point of no return; now wanting this too much to care about what would happen between them as friends. Besides, they could work it all out, she reasoned with herself, they were just helping each other. That was all.

Faith was marveling at Buffy's tongue as it trailed over her navel, 'Remind me to find that Satsu and thank her.' She thought. 'The first girl to ever go down on me will be Buffy Summers, how fuckin' freaky is that?' Her hand involuntarily found the back of Buffy's head as she felt her tongue on her outer lips.

"Holy shit," Faith breathed out.

"Just lay back and let me do all the driving," She said before she dove right in and sucked on Faith's hardening clit.

"Fuck!" Faith shouted.

It was too good to be believed.

Buffy knew exactly how much pressure her clit needed, and when to ease off. Before she could ask for fingers, Buffy's fore and middle fingers found her grasping hole and pushed in; finding her g-spot with a deftness only a lover could manage. "B…" She pushed herself up slightly on her elbows and saw Buffy go at her pussy with reverence and an almost insatiable quality that she had recognized in her only after they had slayed a large number of vampires and were downing some food. Her pussy lurched violently as Buffy pushed her fingers in and out of her, hitting her g-spot each time she pushed back in.

"Buffy, oh fuck, I think I'm gonna…" She was surprised it was going to happen this quickly. She never came like this.

Buffy pulled up slightly and whispered, "Let it go…"

Faith shouted and fell back onto the pillows, her hips jumped and twisted from side to side of their own accord like she was being tazed repeatedly with a strong cattle prod. When her body stopped moving violently she lifted her head slightly just in time to witness Buffy lapping at her hole while easing her fingers out of her slowly. She saw her place a kiss on her still throbbing pussy lips and then sucked the fingers that had just been in Faith, into her mouth. To top the visuals all off, she added the sexiest groan Faith had heard in a long time.

Buffy looked up and caught Faith's stunned look, she smiled.

"Was I good?"

Faith let out a laugh and pulled her up to her.

"Were you good? Damn, Buffy, I never thought…"

"It would be that good again?"

Faith thought for a moment, how the fuck did Buffy know that she hadn't been able to climax with someone in over a year? She could come just fine on her own, but when she went out with someone, she'd wear them out and then go back to her place to get herself off. A thought popped into her head. 'Giles is gonna die. He sold me out.'

"No," She lied. "I just thought…"

"There you go thinking again, we're not supposed to be doing that, remember?" She didn't wait for a reply. "Give me your hand," Her tone was demanding. After a few moments Faith obliged. She was again slack jawed as she watched Buffy suck two of Faith's fingers into her mouth, and felt her tongue swirl around them. When it appeared she was satisfied, she pulled them out of her mouth. Faith noticed that they were glistening in the low light. Buffy pushed the hand down to her own pussy and positioned the slick fingers at her hole, "I need you here…" She pleaded.

"Buffy…" Faith tried to protest, but it came out as a needy moan.

"Fuck me, Faith…"

Something in Faith told her to let go, everything would be fine, she knew this between them. She let Buffy push her fingers into her slick hole and moved with her as she got comfortable on the bed. Faith took over the rhythm Buffy was setting, and Buffy thanked her with more sexy moans.

After a few minutes Faith stilled her movements and marveled at the abandon with which Buffy was fucking herself on her hand, somehow this was different then the other night, she noted to herself.

Another thought came to her, it was something she had never done before, but since Buffy was okay with doing it to her she felt she should reciprocate.

"You need my tongue, Buffy?" She asked, quietly.

"Not right now, baby, I need you up here…kiss me…" She breathed.

Faith leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Buffy's lips, it deepened quickly as Buffy pulled Faith's face closer to her and held it there. Faith could feel the strong pulses on her fingers, she knew that meant she was close.

"My…clit…" Buffy managed to pant out. "Your thumb…"

Faith understood, and put her thumb on Buffy's clit, adding the pressure she needed.

"That's it, Faith, oh fuck…I'm gonna come, baby, all over your hand. Kiss me."

Faith leaned in and again Buffy attacked her mouth hungrily. Her own pussy was throbbing from what Buffy had said, the way she was kissing her, and the pleasure she could tell she was giving her.

Buffy sucked Faith's tongue into her mouth as the first strong spasm hit her, the explosion of pleasure was so great that she stopped kissing Faith in order to cry out and pulled her to her tightly as she continued to voice her intense feelings. Faith knew to stop moving her hand in Buffy's pussy so that she could dictate the pleasure she needed. Buffy held onto Faith like she was holding onto a life line and continued to grind on her, the second spasm hit her, not as strong as the first one, but this was longer, and Buffy's vocalization was no less loud. It was almost a minute before she fell back to the bed, spent.

'Holy shit, this is too unreal,' Faith said as Buffy was catching her breath beside her. She had pulled Faith's hand to her chest and was squeezing it, almost as though she was trying to convince herself that Faith was real. 'She must be kinda wiggin' too."

They lay that way until Faith heard Buffy's breath even out and then the soft snore that told her she had fallen asleep.

'Damn, I don't know whether to have a complex or be flattered.' Faith thought as she looked at Buffy's sleeping form.

She decided to get up and go brush her teeth, she wasn't sure how long Buffy would be out. She also wasn't sure how they'd deal with what they had just done and for some reason, acting like nothing was weird about this whole set up was comforting.

After she was done brushing her teeth and taking another quick shower she decided to watch some TV. Crossing in front of the windows of the big room she noticed the snow was falling at a pretty good clip. She stood for a few moments and watched it fall, thinking for some reason the weather might put a wrench in their plans.

* * *

"Tommy, did you hear the weather report?"

"Yeah, it's supposed to snow into tomorrow night."

"Holy fuck, that means airplanes will be grounded at JFK," Joey said.

"Yeah, so?"

"So? That means no planes get into it either, numbnuts."

"Joe, what the fuck, why are you so interested in planes all of a sudden?"

"'Cause Big John's supposed to be coming in from Miami tomorrow night, now all our plans will be fucked up."

"Oh," Tommy said.

"Yeah, 'Oh'." Joey said, trying not to slam the phone down. "I gotta go, the snow is pilin' up out here and I won't be able to get outta the fucking booth."

"Okay. Hey, Johnny called and said they got to the Plaza okay."

"He's tailing 'em?"

"I guess so, apparently Petey Samartino is his bitch boy now."

"Fuck, this is _our_ caper, Tommy!" Joey seethed into the receiver. "Shit, I'll talk to you tomorrow, stay near a phone, okay?"

"Alright, geez, stop actin' like my mother."

Joey was going to make a crack on how if he was acting like Tommy's mother he'd be passed out in the basement after drinking a bottle of cheap gin, but the booth was too cold and he really needed to get back into warmth before he froze to death.

"This fuckin' thing is going to shit even before it starts," He said out loud as he pulled his coat closer around his throat and his skull cap over his ears. "Fuckin' weather." He stepped out of the booth and looked up and down the silent street before heading back into the bar where his friends were waiting.

* * *

Faith had been clicking around the channels until she came upon the movie Casino. 'Damn, should I wake Buffy for this?' She thought better of that, the pill seemed to have more of an effect on her, so she decided to let her sleep. For a brief moment she thought that maybe something was wrong with Buffy's pill, but then she remembered Buffy really couldn't hold her liquor well, and maybe that was a contributing factor. She was also trying to wrack her brain and understand why Buffy was being so sexually aggressive, then she thought briefly of the conversations she had with Kennedy and Giles. Maybe they were right, maybe Buffy _was_ into her. It could be the effect of the pill too, those sex memories of their alter egos were pretty intense, if she had to feel that and not be able to get off when she did she might have spontaneously combusted.

"I uhhh," She was startled out of her thoughts by Buffy softly padding into the room. "I zonked."

"You sure did," Faith said, the smile on her face was huge.

"It's all your fault," Buffy laughed. "Scoot over." She said as she stood in front of Faith.

Faith moved to let her sit on the couch.

"Didn't we see this one already?" Buffy asked.

Faith shook her head, "Nope, we were going to and then we didn't. What a coincidence that I found it playing tonight."

"No," Buffy said as she watched the screen. "I'm pretty sure we've seen this one, DeNiro beats Don Rickles over the head with the phone."

"Yeah…maybe you did see it, B. It's been out for a while."

"But I remember seeing it with you."

"Yeah?" Faith looked puzzled. "Oh, oh wait, it must be a memory…"

Buffy's brow knitted quizzically, "Yes…" She stretched out the word because Faith was stating the obvious.

"It's probably the pill."

Buffy's face went to the next level of consternation, "We took pills? What…like X?"

"No we didn't take X, you know, the pills Willow gave us."

Buffy seemed to remember something, she decided not to press it further, "Oh, right."

"You sure you're okay, B?" Faith asked, not convinced.

"I'm perfectly fine," She pulled her legs under her and hugged her arms around her body. "Maybe I _haven't_ seen this one."

There was a sinking feeling in Faith's stomach, the elephant had somehow shown back up in the room.

The last thing Faith wanted to do was talk about what just happened, she felt like they had talked 'what just happened between them' to death, so she decided to just get Buffy to relax.

"Did you want something to drink? They've got the sweetest mini-bar…"

"No, thank you. I think I've had enough for one night. You can have something if you want, I won't be a bitch about it."

"Okay…" Faith said, skeptically. She got up and took a glass from the small bar behind the couch. As she put the ice from the bucket into the glass she said, "You should see how it's snowin' outside, B. The news said it wasn't going to stop until maybe even tomorrow night."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I wonder if that'll fuck up the meetin'."

Buffy let out a short laugh, "You know I almost forgot about that…"

"Really?" Faith said as she reached for the small bottle of vodka. "That pill's hitting you harder than I thought, maybe I oughta give Will a call…"

Buffy hugged her arms around her tighter, if Faith had seen her face at the moment, she would have known something was very wrong. Tears were springing to her eyes and she was trying not to sob out.

"…You know, just to see if this is normal…it's probably too late though, she's been putting in a lot of extra hours, might be asleep already…"

Faith finished pouring her drink and joined Buffy back on the couch, she took note of the icy posture, and she could have sworn she saw her brush a tear away.

"Buffy?"

"What?" The hurt was evident in her voice.

"Hey, what's wrong? Are you thinking this was a mistake?"

Fresh tears formed in Buffy's eyes and she went to move off the couch, but Faith grabbed her arm before she could get too far. "No, B, stay. Let's talk about this."

Buffy paused for a few moments then managed to choke out, "You _never_ want to talk about this Faith…"

"I know, but we really need to or we're gonna be in big trouble."

Buffy stayed stiff for a few more moments and then her shoulders slumped, she allowed Faith to pull her back down on the couch.

"I know I really suck at this stuff, Buffy. But we need to work this out…"

"I know, I want to…but…"

"But what? Was the sex…too soon? Are you regretting it?"

Buffy shook her head, "No," A sob escaped her lips. "It was wonderful…it's what I've been wanting…"

'Holy shit, so Ken and Giles _were_ right, I'm so stupid,' Faith thought.

"But you're having a problem with it because of me?"

Buffy didn't answer for a few moments, then nodded her head slightly.

"I know, Buffy. I feel the same way. I know we have to get closer, and I'm thinkin' maybe having sex wasn't the best way to go about it, but…"

"But what?"

"Well, we needed it, in some crazy assed way, maybe it's the only way we're going to get over everything."

"I never said sex was the only answer, Faith. But you're right, I did need that. I needed to feel…" Buffy stopped.

"Feel what?" Faith couldn't believe she was pressing Buffy for answers.

"Feel like, _wanted_ and stuff." Buffy shrugged and looked at her hands in her lap, fresh tears dripped from her eyes and Faith got up to get her a tissue.

"It's been tough for you lately, hasn't it?" Faith said as she handed Buffy a tissue. Buffy nodded and thanked her. "You can tell, me, B. Contrary to popular belief I'm a good listener. Lay it on me…" She pushed Buffy's shoulder. "Let me have it."

"Well…" Buffy stopped and thought. "Promise me you're not going to get mad."

"Okay, I promise," Faith said, thinking it was odd that Buffy would have anything to tell her that she'd be mad about.

"I know I said I wouldn't let it get to me, but…it is…"

Faith nodded, understanding. "I knew it…"

"Wait, let me finish," Buffy leaned over and took Faith's glass from her. She took a sip and did a full body shudder. "Oooh, ugh."

"Just a bit strong for your tastes."

"I don't know how you keep drinking that stuff."

Faith shrugged and took the glass back from Buffy who sat back on the couch and sighed, her body straightened after a moment, like she was finally ready to talk.

"Okay, so it still bothers me…" She said. Faith stayed silent. "The cheating."

Faith was puzzled for a moment and then it hit her, 'Shit, she means Riley. When he cheated on her with me…when I was in her body. Fuck, we never worked that shit out.'

"I know we've never really talked about it," Faith conceded.

"Well, _I've_ talked about it to death, but I don't think you heard me."

"How could I?"

Buffy nodded and let out a short laugh, "With all the screaming you mean?"

Faith was really puzzled now, a thought came to her, "What cheating do you mean, Buffy?"

Buffy scoffed, "Are you sayin' you've done more cheating?"

"N-no, but I just want to clarify…so we're on the same page."

"Last month, the girl you cheated with…" She was affronted that she even had to mention it again.

"Oh fuck…" Faith muttered.

"Yeah, that _fuck_," Buffy spit out the last word. "And tonight you just say her name, like it didn't even matter. And you tell me that we took some pills _she_ gave _you_." Buffy turned to her, clearly not pleased. "I mean, I said I'm over it Faith, but I'm not over it like _that_."

"Hang on, Buffy…" Faith was trying to make sense of what she was hearing.

"Yeah, I know, I'm making this into a big freakin' production, _again_…"

Faith held up her hand, "No something's not right…"

"With what?" Buffy lowered her voice. "The room?" She looked around suspiciously. "You think it's bugged?"

Faith thought for a moment, "Maybe…" She said absently, still trying to grasp onto a thought.

"That would be typical…I don't like these guys we're gettin' involved with…"

"Shhh…" Faith said, as gently as possible. "Let me think a second."

The thought that was trying to come to her in the restaurant finally became clear. One of the memories that the pill was providing was that this other Faith cheated on Buffy, and not too long ago. The big night in the city was so that they could start over, and the reason the other Buffy lost the first ring wasn't because she was absent minded in a club, it was because she threw it out of a moving car window while she was screaming at Faith for cheating.

'I'm going to kill Willow.' Faith thought. 'Like this shit wasn't complicated enough? I gotta be a fuckin' cheater?'

"Hey, babe…I need to…I gotta make a phone call," Faith said, keeping her voice surprisingly calm despite the sickening pit growing in her stomach. "Do you mind?"

"Is it business?"

"What do you think?"

"Hey, don't get snotty, I'm still mad at you," She then added with a shrug. "Business is business, if you gotta take care of something go ahead."

Faith fished her phone out of her purse and excused herself from the room and went and locked herself in the bathroom.

Willow picked up on the first ring.

"How's it going, Faith? Are you two settling in okay?"

"What the fuck did you do, Red?"

"What do you mean, what did I do?"

"The pill, it was too strong, Buffy really believes she's this other Buffy," She said in a tense whisper.

"Really?"

"Yeah, really! And on top of that, she thinks…wait, no she _knows_ that I cheated on her."

"Cheat? When? With who?"

"You tell me! It's one of her 'memories' and as a matter of fact, she thinks I cheated with you!"

Willow couldn't contain a laugh, "Sorry, Faith."

"It's not fuckin' funny, Will. What the fuck is going on?"

"I didn't plant any memory like that for you guys."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

"Then how come I can remember it sorta too?"

"Sorta? You mean you don't remember it fully?"

"No, it's like its hazy, but I know it's there."

Willow was quiet for a moment and Faith was impatient.

"Are you still there? Tell me what's going on!"

"I'm here, I'm trying to think."

"You better think quick, Will, maybe you should get us out of here."

"No," Willow said quickly. "They're following you, and we're pretty sure they've got a camera in there."

"Fuck! Why did I know that?"

"They're trying to make sure you're not going to kill them. Now, sit tight, you just interact with Buffy as normally as possible. I'll be back in touch."

"Don't call me with your phone," Faith said. "If she sees your name in my phone she'll go apeshit."

"You're right. I'll call with a phone number that she knows and feels safe with. A friend of yours from college…"

"Who?"

"Angel."

The false memory of Faith's college days were coming back to her. "God damn."

"I'm sorry, I was in a hurry."

"It's okay, it's that the memories are flooding back."

"Your experience with the pill is really weird, it seems you're blocking them somehow, and Buffy's…"

"Are taking over…" Faith finished. "God, I hate magick, did I ever tell you how much I hate magick?"

"Yes, now go back to Buffy, you have to smooth things over with her."

"Shit, you're right. You better have a fix for this soon."

"I'm on it," Willow said and hung up the phone.

Faith looked at her face in the mirror, 'What. The. Fuck?' She said to herself.


End file.
